


Swano Foldano

by BaconWrappedRainbows



Series: Swano Foldano [1]
Category: Sofia The First - Fandom
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Banter, Bisexual Greylock, Bottom Cedric, Bullying, Cedlock - Freeform, Cedric Is Oblivious, Cedric is a brat, Childhood Memories, Communication Failure, Denial of Feelings, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, Flashbacks, Flirting, Greylock is Good, Letters, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Making Out, Memories, Miscommunication, Musician Greylock, Mutual Pining, Piano, Politics, Revolution, Slow Burn, Stupid Wand Innuendo, Teen Crush, Teenage Drama, Top Greylock, Trauma, Trust Issues, episode rewrite, magic sex, season 4 never happened, traumatic events happen off-screen, violin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 21:02:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 50,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28926990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BaconWrappedRainbows/pseuds/BaconWrappedRainbows
Summary: Cedric runs into Greylock, his old nemesis from Hexley Hall, at Enchancia's royal jubilee. He know's he's in for a rough time, but he never could have expected that Greylock would ask for Cedric's forgiveness and his friendship. Can Cedric trust Greylock enough to give either? And what if their unlikely camaraderie starts to blossom into something more?Starts during the episode "Baileywhoops". Eventual Cedlock.CW: Swearing, alcohol, traumatic events happening off-screen, description of said traumatic events (nothing really heavy or graphic), sex (between consenting adults only)
Relationships: Cedric the Sorcerer /Greylock the Grand
Series: Swano Foldano [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2210151
Comments: 104
Kudos: 18





	1. All at once it's you

**Author's Note:**

> Dear Lord, what am I doing with my time? 
> 
> Chapter 1 is just essentially a transcription of all the Cedric and Greylock scenes of "Baileywhoops", but with more juicy content. The following chapters will have no canon content whatsoever, but I really wanted this chapter to feel like it's happening "offscreen" when the episode focuses on Baileywick et al. 
> 
> I did change some things slightly. Hopefully that doesn't bother anyone– why would it, anyway? This is a dang kids' show. 
> 
> I also made Cedric and Greylock act/speak a bit more like real adults than they do in the show, and by extension, Sofia and the other children act/speak more like real kids. I tried to remain true to everyone's character despite this. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Cedric was never much of a party person. He preferred the comfort of his solitary workshop, with only his raven Wormwood to keep him company. Parties were loud and boisterous, crowded and headache-inducing– and all too often, Cedric was expected to provide entertainment. That was the worst part: it put him under so much pressure, with all those royal eyes on him. 

The Royal Jubilee, what was essentially the Kingdom’s birthday celebration, was no different. It was going to be just as awful as any other party– save, of course, the fact that King Roland had not asked him to give the guests a magic show. This was one small blessing. 

Cedric stood with the royal family, trying not to let his boredom leak onto his facial expression. The castle steward, Baileywick, was reading off the guest list as coaches from various kingdoms far and near dropped off their kings and queens. Unfortunately, things were about to get much worse for Cedric. Baileywick introduced the visitors from the kingdom of Rudistan: King Magnus, his steward Slickwell, and his royal sorcerer, Greylock the Grand. Cedric’s stomach sank. No, no, no– not _Greylock–_ it couldn’t be! Not Greylock, his upperclassman from Hexley Hall, who teased and tormented him relentlessly through their years of study… But it _was_ Greylock. Cedric would recognize that outrageous hairdo, that atrocious fashion sense anywhere. He swallowed hard, but tried to keep his face neutral. Perhaps Greylock wouldn’t notice him. He could only hope–

Oh, no. Greylock was approaching him– _Merlin’s mushrooms._ He looked straight ahead, steeling himself for what was to come. 

“Well, well. If it isn’t _Bedsick_ ,” Greylock said mockingly. The names annoyed Cedric the most, and Greylock knew it. Greylock extended his hand to shake Cedric’s.

“You know my name, Greylock,” Cedric replied, sliding his hand into the other man’s. To his surprise, a jolt of electricity shot up his arm. He exclaimed in pain.

Greylock laughed heartily. “I’m sorry, Cardtrick; I just had to try out my new palm zapper.”

The younger man frowned, unamused.

“I haven’t seen you since the big school reunion!” the other sorcerer continued. “I see your hair grew back okay!”

Cedric’s brow furrowed. He recalled the incident all too well. What was that; four, five years ago?

“Ooh! You’ve got something on your…” 

Before he could react, Cedric felt an enchanted hand flick his chin. Greylock laughed yet again. Cedric swatted the hand away. 

“I see you still act more like a jester than a sorcerer,” Cedric retorted. “Same old Greylock.”

“Same old Kendrick!”

“Cedric!” He knew the correction was of no use, but he could hope that the other man would take the hint and grow up. He had to grow up, didn’t he? Sooner or later.

* * *

Once all the guests had arrived, the King and Queen of Enchancia led the group into the castle as Baileywick listed off the day’s itinerary. 

“First, there will be a welcome luncheon, then the adults will take part in the royal croquet match, followed by the jubilee cake presentation. Then there will be a feast, and the festivities will extend into the night for those who wish to stay.”

“Aw, we don’t get cake?” Prince James complained.

“We all get cake, James,” replied King Roland. “After the grown-ups take a cruise on the royal schooner.”

“So, what are we doing all day?” asked Princess Amber.

“Greylock the Grand has kindly volunteered to entertain you with his feats of magic!” Queen Miranda answered.

The children “ooh”ed excitedly. 

“Prepare to be astounded by the greatest sorcerer who ever waved a wand!” King Magnus boasted. 

Greylock bowed slightly at the praise. 

Cedric grumbled. Greylock didn’t need anyone to stroke his ego. Quite the opposite, in fact. “I am just as great as you,” he muttered to Greylock. 

“But nowhere near as fun!”

“We’ll just see about that.” Cedric sped up so that he could catch the front of the procession. 

“Your Majesties,” he said to the king and queen of Enchancia, “I should also like to volunteer to entertain the children.”

“That’s a first,” said King Roland.

Unsure how to reply, Cedric simply giggled and agreed. He slipped back to rejoin Greylock. “I’ll show you who’s more fun!” he said to Greylock.

“May the best sorcerer win,” Greylock said, smirking. He held out his hand to Cedric. 

Stupidly, Cedric accepted the gesture of good sportsmanship, and shook Greylock’s hand. He immediately regretted it, as another painful electric shock ascended his arm. 

Greylock guffawed. “Greylock one, Redbrick nothing!”

Cedric groaned. What had he gotten himself into? 

* * *

Unfortunately, the welcome luncheon left Cedric seated next to King Magnus, of all people– and, if that wasn’t bad enough, directly across from Greylock. Cedric couldn’t even sulk in peace without Greylock staring at him with his confounded smirk.

The one benefit to sitting so near to King Magnus was that he talked so loudly and so constantly about how great his kingdom was that it precluded any snide remarks from Greylock. It seemed no one at the table could get a word in edgewise when King Magnus was around. But Greylock bothered him anyway, by staring at him without end.

Eventually, Cedric had had enough. He looked up to meet his arch-nemesis’ eyes. But Greylock must have sensed this coming, as he was suddenly looking away. 

Cedric didn’t give in. He tightened his grip on his fork, gritting his teeth. He stared at Greylock, at his stupid face with his stupid hair and his stupid monocle and his stupid perfect cheekbones and _stupid_ button nose– 

Finally, Greylock glanced back at Cedric, and had the nerve to seem surprised; confused even, that Cedric was looking at him. He tilted his head, giving Cedric wide puppy eyes. 

Cedric nearly snarled. This man was _infuriating._

Greylock kept his eye contact with Cedric, and then he blew a kiss and winked. 

Cedric was livid. How _dare_ he?! He couldn’t bear to look at the man anymore. He looked back down at his mostly-finished meal, fuming. He wanted so badly to storm off and return to his workshop, but decorum prevented this. He instead continued to eat his lunch without so much as a glance in Greylock’s direction. 

Thankfully, his mind was taken off his nemesis when Baileywick slipped and spilled jiggly-wiggly pudding on the King. Being on the other side of the table, Cedric was safely out of the splash zone. He could, however, feel the discomfort of the whole situation from his vantage point. Even Greylock was cringing at the situation, and at how Slickwell seemed all too eager to come to the rescue.

* * *

The luncheon ended soon thereafter. After leaving the table. Cedric stood in the hall, waiting for a sign that the croquet tournament would start. He stared at a landscape painting, trying to decide if it pleased him or not. 

“Well, Lipstick, wasn’t that an interesting turn of events?”

Cedric’s face fell as Greylock approached him.

“What was the meaning of staring at me all through lunch?” Cedric questioned. 

“Oh, was I staring? How rude of me!” Greylock feigned an apology. He adjusted his bow tie. “Though I do seem to remember you doing the same to me…”

“I wanted to make sure you knew that I was onto you, Greylock!”

“Right, of course.”

“And what, pray tell, was with that k-kissing and winking business?!”

Greylock chuckled. “What, you didn’t like that, Metric?”

“Not one bit!”

“Hmm, I thought that maybe you were staring at me because you found me pretty,” Greylock teased, batting his eyelashes. 

Cedric turned beet red. “Oh, Greylock, you are absolutely insufferable!” Cedric stomped away. 

“Come now, I’m only pulling your leg!” Greylock called after him. Cedric ignored him and walked faster.

Once at a safe distance, he crossed his arms and resumed his sulking. How he _despised_ Greylock. The man seemed to know exactly how to get on every last one of Cedric’s nerves. That last comment, especially, ticked him off. Was that a dig at Cedric’s sexuality? 

Come to think of it, Greylock had never made fun of Cedric for being gay before. That was probably one of the only things Greylock hadn’t made fun of him for, actually. He wondered why. Did Greylock not know? That seemed unlikely. His queerness seemed painfully obvious in his mannerisms, even in his teenage years at Hexley Hall. Doubtlessly Greylock had heard other students bullying him for being gay. Perhaps homophobia was below even Greylock. That would be funny, wouldn’t it? But, then, what was that comment about finding him pretty? Cedric sighed. It was a shame, really, that Greylock was such an immature piece of work who couldn’t figure out how to put together an outfit that didn’t clash. Greylock would be rather attractive, if it weren’t for his personality. He had soft-looking hair and pleasant hazel eyes and those godforsaken high cheekbones and confounded button nose... They were all wasted on Greylock. 

“Now, children,” came Greylock’s sing-songy voice from down the hall, “follow me! It’s time for a royal magic show beyond anything you’ve ever seen!” 

Cedric gritted his teeth. He hadn’t gotten over his last interaction with Greylock, and it was time to deal with him again. Why hadn’t he held his tongue? He could be watching the royal croquet tournament– not that he had any interest in that, but at least Greylock wouldn’t be there. Cedric unfolded his arms and tried to look unaffected as Greylock came strutting down the hall. 

“Come along, Septic!” said Greylock. “Unless you’ve changed your mind about joining us?”

Cedric elected to ignore the nickname. “Oh, no, no, no! A good sorcerer never goes back on his word.” He fell into step alongside Greylock.

“Oh? Since when are you a good sorcerer?” Greylock asked. 

Cedric fumed as the children erupted into laughter. 

“Oh, Greylock, you’re simply too funny!” Princess Amber said, giggling behind her fan. 

Where was Princess Sofia? Cedric could always count on her to defend him. However, defence came from the most unexpected place.

“I kid, of course,” Greylock conceded, placing a surprisingly gentle hand on Cedric’s shoulder. “This man here is a _great_ sorcerer. He’s very talented, yes! He and I just like to pick on each other. Don’t we, Frederick?” Greylock winked at him. 

Cedric’s eyes widened. Did Greylock just… compliment him? “I… W-well, yes, I suppose we do,” he stammered. Greylock the Grand just said that Cedric was _very talented._ What kind of devilry–?

“Well, the Enchancian royal sorcerer ought to bring us to the location of our magic show,” Greylock said. 

“Yes, I should…” Cedric said, rubbing his chin. Where...

“Ooh! Ooh!” Princess Amber interjected. “Can we _please_ go by the waterfall? It’s so pretty there!”

Greylock glanced at Cedric. “Well? What do you think?”

Cedric shrugged. “That sounds perfectly suitable to me.”

“Alright! The waterfall it is,” Greylock said to Amber, who squealed in delight. 

“Hey, no fair, why didn’t I get to pick the spot?” said Prince James. 

“Your sister simply spoke up faster,” Cedric replied.

“You snooze, you lose!” Greylock added. 

* * *

After a stroll through the castle grounds, they had arrived by the aforementioned waterfall.

“Wow, it _is_ really pretty here!” said Princess Vivian.

“I agree,” added Princess Jun. “Good choice, Amber!”

“Indeed,” Greylock said, “and perfectly magical!”

“Well, shall we begin?” Cedric said.

“What do you say, children? Are you ready for some magic?” Greylock asked. 

The children cheered in affirmation. 

“Lovely!” Greylock exclaimed. “Yardstick, my good friend, why don’t you begin?”

“Y-you want _me_ to go first?” Cedric asked. 

“I insist!” Greylock bowed.

“Alright.” Cedric cleared his throat. “Gather around, but stand back!” The children formed a semi circle around him. He pulled his family wand out of his sleeve. “ _Paperus appearo!_ ” He flicked his wrist, and a golden piece of paper appeared in his hand. 

“Now, children,” he continued, “behold this normal sheet of paper. _Swano foldano!”_ With another flick of his wrist, he transformed it into a beautiful origami swan.

“Hmm, pretty nice!” said Prince James. 

“Yes, but does it do anything?” asked Princess Amber. 

“Ooh, uh…” Cedric stalled. “I suppose it might float, if you put it in water.” He waved his wand to create a small puddle for the swan to float in. 

_“Baloonium inflato!”_ came Greylock’s voice from aside, and suddenly, various large balloon animals came bounding into the crowd of children, resulting in excited cheers. Cedric frowned as his swan was trampled by an inflated herd. Greylock laughed. “Who wants an enchanted balloon animal?” The children rushed to receive one in a chorus of _“Me!”_ and _“I do!”_

“Hey, Hattrick! Would you like one, too?” Greylock asked mockingly. 

Thinking quickly, Cedric glanced to a nearby tree. _“Piñatapalooza!”_ he said, and a spark of light flew from his wand and conjured a star-shaped piñata in the branch. “Oh, children!” he called. “Who wants to take the first swing?” he asked, making a bat and a blindfold appear in his hand.

The kids stampeded towards _him,_ this time, with their _“Me!”_ s and _“I do!”_ s. Cedric grinned, and looked up to see Greylock with an eyebrow raised. 

“I think I heard Princess Vivian say ‘please’, so I’ll let her go first,” Cedric announced. Vivian excitedly approached him, and he floated the blindfold over her eyes, and the bat into her hands. 

_“Rotaticus!”_ He exclaimed, and Vivian began spinning around. After a few seconds, he flicked his wand again to stop the spinning. 

“Now, everyone step back!” Greylock said. “We don’t want anyone to get it in the head!” The children dutifully spread out. Princess Vivian started to swing, missing the piñata by a mile. The children laughed. 

“You’re not trying to one-up me, now?” Cedric said quietly to Greylock, raising an eyebrow. 

“No, of course not! Your piñata is brilliant! I’ll wait until they get bored to trump you,” Greylock said, and winked again. “Okay, I think it’s time for another turn. How about… Prince Jin!” Greylock said to the children.

Cedric didn’t even complain that Greylock didn’t allow him to transfer the blindfold and bat to Prince Jin, or to spin him around. He was too busy being confused that Greylock was not only allowing Cedric a chance to impress the children, but that he had called his idea _brilliant._ Was this some kind of mind game? Greylock was pranking him, insulting him, teasing him, humiliating him… and complimenting him? This was new. Greylock hadn’t _complimented_ him before. Had he? He thought about it. He couldn’t think of anything kind Greylock had ever said to him before him telling the children that Cedric was very talented. But wait… He thought about when he’d first challenged Greylock. _“Prepare to be astounded by the greatest sorcerer who ever waved a wand!”_ King Magnus had said. _“I am just as great as you,”_ Cedric had muttered to Greylock. _“But nowhere near as fun!”_ was Greylock’s response. 

Cedric’s eyes widened slightly as he realized– Greylock hadn’t denied Cedric’s abilities as a sorcerer. He had, in fact, placed Cedric on the same level as himself. He immediately wondered if, perhaps, he’d received other implied compliments from Greylock in the past. 

One memory immediately surfaced: the school reunion. 

> “Flameo!” _Cedric said with confidence, lighting the cake’s candles swiftly._
> 
> _The crowd oohed and ahed, applauding._
> 
> _“Cedric, look out!” came someone’s voice, raised in alarm. It was then that Cedric realized that his shot of Fantastical Fireball whiskey– notoriously flammable– had ignited as well. The flames shot towards him, and suddenly, somehow, his hair was on fire._
> 
> _He shrieked. “Ah, my hair– Help me!”_
> 
> “Extinguo!”
> 
> _Cedric didn’t know who had cast the spell, but he was relieved that the fire was put out. He put his shot glass down on the table, and quickly touched his head in alarm. He was devastated to pull away a sizable chunk of charred hair. “No!” he exclaimed._
> 
> _“Oh, Cedric, I’m so sorry…” Greylock said, in a tone that sounded almost sincere. “Look on the bright side: It’s not like this could possibly make you less attractive.”_
> 
> _The crowd roared with laughter, and Cedric could hardly make it out of the crowd before he began sobbing._

No. Greylock had _never_ been kind to him. What seemed like kindness to him now must be some cruel joke. 

Cedric was startled back to reality by candy pouring out of the piñata, and the cheers of the children. Greylock waltzed over to Cedric’s side and crossed his arms. He glanced at Cedric with a small smile, which Cedric pointedly ignored. They watched as the young royals sorted through the candy.

“This one looks good!” Prince James said, holding up an interestingly-shaped lollipop. 

“Oh, it’s a bang pop!” Cedric said. “Be careful!”

“Why?” James asked before putting the candy into his mouth. Soon enough, the enchanted candy revealed its nature, exploding with a muffled ‘poof’ in his mouth and making James’ hair stand on end. “Brilliant!” he said.

“Oh, children!” Greylock called suddenly. He skipped a few steps away. _“Forces of magic far and near, make a carousel appear!”_ He flicked his wand, and a beautiful merry-go-round shimmered into existence on the other side of the bridge.

“Oh, look at all the unicorns!” exclaimed Princess Amber. 

The children immediately forgot about the candy and rushed towards it, babbling in excitement.

“Not too shabby, eh?” Greylock said, twirling his wand.

“Hmph. Show-off,” Cedric muttered. 

As the children settled on a horse of their choice, Cedric confronted the other sorcerer. “Didn’t you say you’d wait until they were _bored?”_

“Yes, but I was concerned that Princess Amber might ruin her hair with one of those bang pops and go crying to her daddy, and get you in trouble.”

Cedric scoffed, crossing his arms. “You couldn’t care less if I got in trouble.”

 _“Revolvo!”_ Greylock said, and the carousel began to turn, accompanied by circus music. Greylock laughed. “Now, remember to tell your royal parents who conjured up this fun ride for you: Greylock the Grand!”

Cedric frowned deeper and began to walk across the bridge. “You don’t think I’m going to let _you_ get all the glory, do you?” He positioned himself on the highest point of the bridge and pointed his wand at the carousel. _“Wingaroodle-doo!”_

Immediately, the carousel horses sprouted magical wings, to awe from the children.

“Wings?!” Princess Amber gasped. “Oh, I did not think this could get any better!”

“Oh yeah?” Greylock said to Cedric, “Well, watch this:” he turned to the carnival ride. _“Speediupitis!”_ The ride began to move faster.

 _“Flapezio!”_ Cedric cast a spell to make the unicorns’ wings flap.

Greylock walked to join Cedric on the bridge. He smirked at the younger sorcerer and exclaimed: _“Liftoffigus!”_

The ride floated upwards.

“Whoa, we’re flying!” the children shouted with glee.

“Ha, top that!” Greylock said smugly.

“A flying unicorn carousel?” mused Princess Amber, “It’s my dream come true!”

Cedric raised an eyebrow. “Oh… Is it going to come back down?”

Greylock’s face suddenly fell. “I… I don’t know.”

Cedric’s eyes widened. “What do you mean, ‘you don’t know’?”

“Well, I mean, it ought to, right? Like the old saying, _‘what goes up must come down?’”_

“That doesn’t necessarily apply to magic, Greylock!” Cedric said. “And I know you don’t care if _I_ get in trouble, but this is both of our arses–” Cedric quickly looked to make sure the children were out of earshot– “on the line!”

Greylock sighed. “I _do_ care if you get in trouble, Cedric. That’s what I would have said earlier–”

“–If you weren’t so busy trying to show these children how you’re a much better sorcerer and _sooo_ much more fun than me, right?” Cedric barely noticed that Greylock had actually said his name correctly.

“No, that’s not it– it’s just that the children were waiting for me to start the ride, and I couldn’t exactly leave them there while we had a nice chat about our feelings, could I?”

“But you’re still just trying to convince a bunch of children that you’re better than me!”

“You were the one who volunteered to do this with me, and said, and I quote: _‘I’ll show you who’s more fun!’”_

“But–” Greylock was right, Cedric realized. However, he wasn’t about to admit that to the other man. “You were the one who said, and I quote: _‘may the best sorcerer win,’_ and then you zapped me with your stupid... zapper!” Cedric shouted. 

“Yes, but this is just a bit of friendly competition!” Greylock ventured, smiling. 

“One has to be _friendly_ to someone before they can engage in _friendly competition,”_ Cedric retorted. 

Greylock opened his mouth to reply, but his attention was drawn skyward by a scream. “We’d better stop arguing and do something,” he said.

“For once, I agree, with you,” Cedric said, looking up at the carousel. “We have to get them back down,” he said nervously.

 _“Haltimbanco!”_ said Greylock, pointing his wand upwards. A magic beam latched onto the bottom of the carousel, and he grunted with exertion. “I can’t hold it!”

“I’ll help you!” Cedric cried out, pointing his wand up as well. _“Objectus descendo!”_

Together, they were able to pull the carousel to land gently on the ground. 

“Oh, that was a close call,” Cedric said as he and Greylock rushed to the merry-go-round. 

“I-is everyone alright?” Greylock asked.

“–And willing to be sworn to secrecy about what just happened?” Cedric added quickly.

“That was brilliant!” answered Prince James.

“Best ride ever!” agreed Princess Jun.

“Can we do it again?” pleaded Princess Amber.

“Oh...” Cedric looked at Greylock, who was smiling bashfully back at him. Cedric felt his own lips curl into a smile as well. “I don’t see why not!”

* * *

After both men had gotten the flying carousel up and running again, they leaned back against the railing of the bridge, watching the children. Now that they knew they could safely and easily bring it back down, it was much less nerve wracking. 

“Listen, Cedric...” Greylock said. “I’m… sorry.”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific; you’ve quite a lot of things to apologize for.”

Greylock laughed, and the younger sorcerer shot him a look. “I’m being serious,” Cedric asserted.

“I know you are, it’s just funny because it’s true.” Greylock said sheepishly. “I’m sorry for all of it. I’ve been… Well, I’ve been a dick–” he glanced up to make sure the children were out of earshot– “I’ve been a dick to you. The whole time I’ve known you.”

“That you have.”

“And I… I want you to know that… Well, most of it wasn’t on purpose. You see, I, um… How do I put this…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I… Have an odd way of trying to show affection. In my family, we tease each other mercilessly to the point where it’s concerning to people that meet us. You know, my older brother Viggo hasn’t called me anything but ‘Gaylock’ since we were kids. But we love each other. I was trying to do the same with you, Cedric, but… I guess without having ever been kind to you first, it just came off as me being rude. And for that, I’m truly sorry.”

Cedric was puzzled. “You mean, you… Like me?”

Greylock blushed. “Yes, very much.” 

Cedric chuckled. “Bollocks.”

Greylock shook his head. “I understand it must seem that way, but… I’m being honest.”

“You do have a tendency to be honest. Brutally so, in fact,” said Cedric, smirking. 

“Yeah.”

Cedric shook his head in disbelief, looking away.

“And… How do you feel about… About me?” Greylock asked tentatively. 

Cedric thought a moment. “I’m not sure yet,” he answered. 

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you can imagine that it’s a little difficult for me to… process this development. You’ve been my nemesis since we were that age,” he said, gesturing to the laughing children flying above their heads. “And I’ve hated you. You’ve gotten on every last one of my nerves, Greylock– every last one.”

He shot a glance at the other man. Greylock looked apologetic. “And I thought you hated me, too. I thought you thought I was ugly, and boring, and a shit sorcerer. So I have to take a moment to mull this over.”

Greylock nodded. He looked a little deflated. “I understand. I’m… sorry. I didn’t realize– I should have realized, really, but I didn’t. Not until the school reunion. And even then, it took until today for me to actually _do_ something about it.”

Cedric gritted his teeth. “Don’t remind me.”

“Of the school reunion?”

Cedric didn’t dignify that with a reply. He looked away again. 

“That was…” Greylock struggled with words. “I know how bad that sounded. I really didn’t mean it that way, though…”

Cedric scoffed. “What way could you possibly mean ‘ _don’t worry, Cedric, you could never look uglier than you already are.’_ ? _”_

“Those weren’t the words I used,” Greylock said quietly. 

“I was paraphrasing.” Cedric waved his hand dismissively.

“I said… ‘it’s not like this could possibly make you less attractive’, as in… you’ll still be just as attractive, even with burnt hair.”

The younger sorcerer guffawed. “Y-you don’t _possibly_ expect me to _believe_ that, do you?”

“I know, I know, it’s hard to believe, but–”

“–Then why was _everyone_ absolutely _howling_ with laughter, Greylock?”

He frowned. “I–”

“Oh, never mind, Greylock,” he waved his hand again. “I think we’d better get those children down, don’t you?”

Greylock sighed. “Yes, let’s.”

The two of them cast their spells and brought the carousel to a landing once again. And not a moment too soon, as Baileywick suddenly appeared on the nearby path. 

“Greylock, the royal schooner is in trouble!” the steward called. “Can you stop it?”

Cedric and Greylock glanced at each other.

“We’ll do it together,” Cedric said without a moment’s hesitation.

“Like the carousel!” Greylock added.

“To the dock!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points to anyone who spotted the subtle Avatar: the Last Airbender reference.
> 
> Explanation as to why I gave Greylock an older brother named Viggo: There isn't much of a theme to the three canon names of characters from Rudistan: Magnus, Greylock, Slickwell. So I made the artistic choice to make it Scandinavian with a touch of British/Anglo-Saxon influence. My headcanon for this fic is that Greylock is the odd one out in his family in terms of a name. His parents named him after something or someone (A fictional character? A place? A celebrity? A random sign his mother saw while she was pregnant? Who knows), but gave the rest of his siblings Scandinavian or generic Northern European names. Also, the names "Viggo" and "Greylock" sound nice together.


	2. But this is wine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Royal Jubilee continues into the night, and two sorcerers have a good time. I'm no longer transcribing an episode in this chapter!
> 
> My major breach of canon in this chapter, at least that I'm aware of, is adding more people in attendance at the party, since I always found it kind of odd that there were so few kingdoms represented in that episode. I'm assuming that was due to the animators not wanting to work on a huge number of guests, which is totally understandable, rather than any real plot reasons.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Once the royal schooner was saved, the nefarious Slickwell fired, and the gooseberry cider dispensed, Greylock and Cedric found a moment to talk. 

“Well, that was rather... exciting,” Greylock said. 

“Indeed,” replied Cedric. “I would never have seen that coming.”

“I wish I could say the same,” said Greylock over the rim of his goblet of cider. “I have never liked Slickwell. Always up to something, that man. And so… slimy.”

“I assume you don’t mean that literally.”

Greylock laughed. “No, well…” he trailed off. “I say, Cedric, you and I made quite the team out there, saving the ship.”

“We did, yes. Though it was quite presumptuous of you to call me your _friend,_ now, wasn’t it?”

Greylock blushed. “Was it?”

“I’m still considering whether or not I forgive you, Greylock,” Cedric said, turning up his nose.

“Oh, right… I respect that.”

“Respect is a good place to start.”

Greylock chuckled. “Well, should I… leave you be, for the rest of the evening, then? So that you can… decide?” He said this quite seriously. 

Cedric pursed his lips. Only a couple hours ago, he would have liked nothing more than for Greylock to leave him alone. Now, though… things had changed. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to be _friends_ with Greylock, but he found himself unopposed to spending the rest of the Jubilee by the other sorcerer’s side. It’s not like he had anyone else to talk to. “Oh, that won’t be necessary.” Cedric said at last. “Spending time with you now will ease along my decision.”

Greylock grinned excitedly. “Oh, Cedric, I’m so grateful that you’re giving me this chance. I promise, I won’t make you regret it!” He held out his hand to Cedric. 

Cedric raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have that buzzer thing on your hand, do you?” he said skeptically. 

Greylock shook his head. “No.”

Still wary, the younger man carefully touched his palm to Greylock’s. No electric shock. He sighed in relief, smiling a little as he and the other man finally shook hands properly. 

“Ah, there’s my royal sorcerer!” came an all-too-familiar voice. 

Greylock’s eyelids closed halfway for a moment before he reluctantly let go of Cedric’s hand and turned towards the source of the voice. “Yes, your Highness!” Greylock bowed to King Magnus. 

“Astounding work saving the ship!” Magnus said. “Both of you!”

Cedric blushed a little and bowed as well. “Thank you, Sire.” 

“Yes, thank you!” echoed Greylock.

“Though I knew you had it in you!” Magnus continued. “Greylock, did I ever tell you about the magic show Cedric here put on last time I was in Enchancia?”

“No, my Liege, I don’t believe you did!” Greylock said. 

“Well!” the King laughed. “Cedric was incredible! Princess Sofia accidentally spilled some potion on herself that turned her into a lizard, but then, Cedric was able to turn her back into a person in an instant! It was astounding! I’d never seen such quick thinking.”

Cedric pursed his lips. _Lizardo change-o_ was a beginner spell, and Greylock had to know that. He waited for the other man to scoff and point this out, but instead, Greylock gasped in amazement.

“Did he, now?! Why, that’s spectacular! Though I would expect nothing less from a sorcerer of Cedric’s caliber.”

“Why, yes! You two are in a class of your own, aren’t you?” Magnus agreed. 

After a moment, Greylock piped up again: “Sire, may I ask how long you were planning to stay at the Royal Jubilee?”

“Oh, until they force me out, I would say!” the King laughed heartily. “No one parties like King Magnus!” 

Greylock chuckled awkwardly. “Yes, indeed.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Oh, it’s just that Cedric and I go waaay back, and we haven’t seen each other in ages! And we were too busy entertaining the children– and, well, rescuing ships– to catch up properly until now. I’m pleased to hear that I’ll be able to spend some more time with my old classmate.”

“Of course! Well, if you’ll excuse me, I need to enquire about the upcoming feast! I’m getting hungry!” King Magnus strode off, rubbing his belly. 

“Well, Cowlick, it looks like you’ll have to put up with me for quite a bit longer, still,” Greylock joked.

Cedric furrowed his brow and cleared his throat. 

“Oh, Cedric– my apologies! Old habits die hard, you know.”

“I just hope they die _quickly.”_ He leaned in a little closer to Greylock. “Also, thank you for, uh, not spilling the beans to your King. About, you know… the lizard thing.”

Greylock laughed. “Oh, don’t mention it!”

“But you could have. And then he’d go back to thinking you _alone_ are the greatest sorcerer.”

“What do I care? He’ll boast about me either way.” He checked over his shoulder to make sure his King wasn’t still hanging around. “And you think I haven’t done the same when it comes to my own spells? Non-magical folk are impressed by _everything._ Who am I to spoil the illusion for them by telling them when I learned it? I’ll let them believe it’s _all_ difficult.”

Cedric chuckled. “Yes, why burst the bubble?”

“Precisely.” He cleared his throat. “Besides,” he continued, his cheeks turning a little pink. “I’m happy to share the spotlight with you, Cedric.”

Cedric couldn’t help but blush in return. The earnestness with which Greylock said those words filled him with warmth. “Oh, Greylock… You flatter me.” He found himself looking deep into the other’s eyes, captivated. 

“I intend to keep doing so. I have a lot of ground to make up, if you recall.”

Cedric scoffed. “All too well,” he muttered. He was stiflingly close to Greylock. He looked away, and in a swift motion, managed to turn himself around to face the water, leaving some breathing room between him and the other man. It was like a spell had just been lifted from between them. “I do wonder when dinner will be served,” Cedric mused, mostly to clear the air. 

“I don’t know, but I can imagine that it will be some time– what with all the, uh, sudden changes to castle staff.” 

“Hmm, yes.”

A silence fell between the two of them. It was not entirely comfortable, but it wasn’t awkward, either. Cedric felt Greylock’s eyes on him, as he had during the welcome luncheon. But unlike then, it wasn’t unbearable. After a long moment, he glanced back at Greylock. The man was looking at him with a wistful smile, his eyes seemingly glazed over. 

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Cedric asked. 

“Breathtaking,” Greylock muttered. 

Cedric’s eyes widened. “W-w-w–” he stammered, caught off guard. “Excuse me?!” 

Greylock shook his head and blushed. “The, uh… The s-sunset. Is breathtaking.”

Cedric looked up. “It is, isn’t it?” He turned back to Greylock. “But you weren’t looking at the sky.” 

Greylock opened his mouth to reply, but it wasn’t his voice Cedric heard next. 

“Distinguished guests, may I have your attention please!” called Baileywick. The buzz of chatter on the boat subsided, and servants began to collect empty goblets. “I thank you for your patience and your cooperation during tonight’s… unprecedented events. However, I can assure you that the rest of the Jubilee will proceed smoothly. Please make your way to the dining hall, as dinner will be served shortly. However, do be advised that, due to the aforementioned events, the seating plan has been revoked, and guests will now seat themselves. Please do ask the castle staff if you require any assistance. Now, follow me, everyone.”

Greylock smiled to Cedric. “Well, no seating plan!”

“That’s very unusual for Baileywick,” Cedric commented as they followed the royal families back to the castle.

“Oh? Is Baileywick the micromanaging type?”

“He is, yes,” Cedric said. “And he always seems to punish me with his seating arrangements.”

“Well, we will try to sit far away from you-know-who,” Greylock said with a wink.

“That was my hope, indeed.”

“Mr. Cedric! Hi!” came a familiar young voice. Princess Sofia, still in her makeshift butler’s outfit, was rushing towards them.

“Oh, hello there, Princess!” Cedric greeted with a smile. “I suppose you haven’t met Greylock the Grand?”

“No, but I wanted to!” she answered. 

“Well, Princess, I am delighted to make your acquaintance,” Greylock said, bowing slightly. 

Sofia giggled. “You two were amazing when you saved the boat!” she exclaimed. 

“And you were amazing when you figured out what Slickwell was up to!”

“Thank you,” she said. “So? Are you and Mr. Cedric really good friends?”

The two sorcerers glanced at each other. “Oh, Ceddy and I have known each other since he was your age!” Greylock answered, touching Cedric’s elbow gently. Cedric couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the nickname. 

“Wow, that’s a long time!” Sofia said. 

The two men chuckled at the remark. “Yes, _ages,_ ” Cedric said. 

“I didn’t know you had any friends, Mr. Cedric!” Sofia said with all the innocent bluntness of her youth. “Besides me and Wormwood, of course.”

“Wormwood is my raven,” Cedric clarified to Greylock. “And, well,” he said to the girl, “I suppose there are some things you don’t know about me, Princess Sofia.” 

“Oh? Like what?” she asked.

“Hmm… My favourite colour?”

“Purple,” Sofia answered, “Just like me!”

“Right, I suppose that one was a little easy… Uh… My favourite spell!”

“Turning rocks into ravens!” Sofia answered confidently. 

“Oh, well, I perhaps you know me better than I realized,” Cedric said. 

“I bet you don’t know Cedric’s favourite drink,” Greylock challenged. 

“Hmm…” Sofia thought for a moment, rubbing her chin. “Maybe it’s… Grape juice? Because it’s purple?”

Greylock chuckled. “No, but a good guess, and surprisingly close!” He turned to Cedric. “It _is_ red wine, is it not?”

Cedric’s eyes widened. “Why, yes, it is! How did you know that?”

Greylock smirked. “I have a good memory.” Cedric felt the back of Greylock’s hand bump against his own, and he was not entirely sure it was accidental. 

“Well _of course_ I wouldn’t know that,” Sofia said, “that’s a grown-up drink!”

“Hmm, yes, perhaps that question was a little unfair.”

“Well, if you _really_ know Cedric that well, then– then–” Sofia thought for a moment before she started giggling. “Then what colour underwear is he wearing?” 

Cedric turned bright red. 

Greylock laughed. “Oh, good heavens, I don’t know _that_ , my dear! And surely, you don’t, either?”

Sofia giggled again. “No, no– I was just being silly. Well, I’m gonna go catch up with my brother and sister now. Bye, Mr. Cedric! Good to meet you, Mr. Greylock!”

The two sorcerers said goodbye as the young princess skipped away. 

“Charming, isn’t she?” Cedric asked. 

Greylock chuckled. “I would say so, yes; and very bright.”

“Oh, indeed– almost shockingly so, at times.”

“Cedric, I thought you hated children,” said Greylock as they approached the castle’s main entrance. 

“I certainly used to, but I’m warming up to them, somewhat.”

“That’s good to hear. Would you ever have some of your own, Cedric?”

The younger man was startled by the question. “W-why, I suppose I don’t really think about it… Would you?”

“Yes, in fact, I would. I’ve always pictured myself resigning from my job as royal sorcerer and moving into a small cottage and starting a family. I’m getting a little old for that, though.”

“You could adopt,” Cedric suggested. He was a little unsure of himself in these matters. 

“Oh, of course! But if I don’t settle down soon, I’ll come to the age where I’ll throw out my back chasing a toddler around the house, trying to get them dressed…” he chuckled. 

Thankfully, that conversation ended there, as the two men arrived in the banquet hall. It was grandly decorated, and the tables around the perimeter of the room were set lavishly with some of the finest silverware. Musicians were already playing a jaunty tune.

“Well, my dear Cedric, where shall we seat ourselves?”

Cedric looked around. Many of the guests had already chosen a table. Fortunately, there were empty seats that weren’t near King Magnus– Cedric had been worried that they would be forced to sit beside him, since no one else could possibly want to. 

“Let’s go over there,” Cedric said, gesturing to the table farthest from King Magnus. It was also the closest to the children’s table, but Cedric decided this was by far the lesser of two evils. 

“Lovely choice.” 

The two men walked over. Already seated there were the Queens of Corinthia and Zumaria.

“Pardon us, your Majesties,” Greylock said to them, “but would you mind if Cedric and I sat at this table?”

“Oh, not at all!” said Queen Cecily. “We just wanted to sit away from our husbands for dinner.”

Both women laughed. Cedric and Greylock joined in awkwardly. 

“Ah, of course,” Greylock said as he pulled a chair out for Cedric. This shocked the younger man. Pulling a chair out from _under_ him, that would be perfectly in-character; but pulling a chair out _for_ him was new. Cedric sat down, still bewildered.

“Of course, we love our husbands, but it’s not as often one gets to have a meal alone with one’s friends, you see…” said Queen Thalia. 

“I’m unattached myself, but I can imagine,” Greylock said as he sat on Cedric’s left. Cedric found this information more interesting than perhaps he should have.

“Oh? Out of curiosity, then, is the rumour true that royal sorcerers never marry?” Asked Queen Thalia.

Greylock laughed. “Not _entirely_ true, your Majesty, but quite accurate.”

“I’m not married,” Cedric said, “but, for what it’s worth, my father was the royal sorcerer of Enchancia before me, and he and my mother are happily married. The rumour is not unfounded, though– the profession can be rather… lonesome, yes.”

“I would have to agree,” Greylock added. “It’s difficult to get out there and meet people when one’s cooped up in a workshop!”

Queen Cecily smiled sympathetically. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find someone soon– both of you.”

“Oh, most definitely,” added Queen Thalia. “Talented sorcerers such as yourselves should have _no_ trouble with the ladies!”

Greylock thanked the queens, but Cedric was too busy blushing. It was _so_ incredibly difficult to feign heterosexuality, even in response to a nonchalant remark. 

With impeccable timing, the servants came in with the first course of food, ending the awkward conversation. During dinner, the queens remarked how their daughters had so enjoyed the magic show, and how daring their rescue of the royal schooner had been. The four of them gossiped about Slickwell and Baileywick– well, it was mostly Greylock and the two women who gossiped and talked. Cedric contributed the bare minimum to the conversation. Greylock was extroverted and a great conversationalist, and made sure to try to include Cedric by asking his opinion when he could. Come to think of it, this was something Greylock had always done– try to include Cedric in conversations. _“What do you think, Toothpick?”_ was not an uncommon question from Greylock, back in the day. Cedric had always interpreted this as provocation, though, and not as a genuine question. It hadn’t seemed at all genuine… but perhaps it had been, if he was to take Greylock at his word, now.

Could Cedric believe this man? Could he _befriend_ him? He still wasn’t sure, but he was admittedly impressed by the lengths Greylock was going in order to make it all up to Cedric. Unless this was some kind of long-con plan of gaining Cedric’s trust only to betray it. But Cedric couldn’t imagine Greylock doing such a thing. He was the type to pull pranks and call him names, but not to pull off evil schemes. Truly, Cedric himself was closer to being evil than Greylock was, he had to admit.

Finally, dinner came to an end, and the plates and cutlery were cleared from the table. Soon, King Roland declared it time for dancing. The musicians struck up a more lively tune, and immediately the children rushed to the centre of the room, laughing and moving to the beat. Queen Cecily and Queen Thalia excused themselves, presumably to rejoin their husbands. 

“Finally, we’re alone,” muttered Greylock.

“We’re hardly alone,” Cedric replied, gesturing broadly at the ongoing Jubilee. 

“I mean at our table, smart-ass,” Greylock said, very quietly. 

“I thought you were getting along well with the queens.”

“Oh, I was, perfectly– but the ladies’ company limited us to more… shallow topics of conversation.”

Cedric raised an eyebrow. “Was that misogyny, Greylock?”

“Oh, no, no,” Greylock denied, “not at all. If I am bigoted towards them, it is because they are royalty, not because they are women. It’s the staunch decorum– it gets dreadfully boring.”

“Tell me about it,” Cedric replied. “At least you’re congenial enough that you can pretend to enjoy conversations about the weather and sports and what-have-you.”

Greylock removed his monocle and began to clean it with his napkin. “Yes, I suppose my sociability is somewhat of a blessing. But it’s a curse, too– as you said earlier, being a royal sorcerer is a lonely employment. I can imagine an introvert like you is a lot more suited to that.”

“Hmm, this is true. But then, when I must do magic in front of the King, I get such horrible stage fright, you see.”

“Yes, I do recall your difficulties in that area from our school days.”

“And how you mocked me for it?” Cedric added.

Greylock looked at Cedric apologetically. “Yes… That, too. I’m sorry, I wish I would have matured faster. Like you did.”

“Me? Mature?” Cedric questioned. “Whatever do you mean?”

“You don’t think you matured faster than I?” Greylock replaced his monocle and leaned his left elbow on the table, resting his chin on the heel of his hand.

“Than you, yes. But that is hardly a feat,” Cedric scoffed. 

Greylock smiled. “Touché.”

Cedric looked out upon the crowd. Most of the royals in attendance were on the dance floor, now. 

“Excuse me, gentlemen,” came a lady’s voice, “would you like more wine?”

“Oh, yes please,” answered Cedric.

“Me, too,” said Greylock as the servant topped off Cedric’s glass. “This stuff is excellent! Much better than what I’m used to– don’t tell King Magnus I said that, though.” Greylock laughed and the servant smiled politely at his quip. She filled his glass, and Greylock thanked her as she walked off. 

“I didn’t realize you liked wine,” Cedric remarked. 

“I didn’t, until tonight.”

Cedric turned his attention back to the middle of the room. A waltz was playing now, and many royal couples were dancing close together. Cedric recalled having been taught to waltz, but he never got the hang of it. He was far too uncoordinated to dance at all, really. 

Princess Sofia, dancing with Princess Jun, caught Cedric’s eye and waved. Cedric smiled and waved back at her. 

“Who are you waving at?” Greylock asked. 

“Princess Sofia,” Cedric answered. “Are you staring at me again, Greylock?” He looked to the other man, and he was, indeed, staring, slumped against the table. 

“Perhaps,” Greylock said before taking a drink. 

“Whyever do you keep doing that? What about me is so bloody fascinating?!”

“Does it bother you?”

“I’m not sure… I suppose it’s fairly harmless, but–” he shook his head. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“What’s so fascinating about you? Well, many things.”

“Would you care to elaborate?”

“Not particularly.” Greylock flashed a toothy grin.

Cedric rolled his eyes, looking away. “You’re absolutely insufferable.”

“I can endeavor to keep my eyes elsewhere, if it would please you,” Greylock said. 

“It would indeed, yes.”

“Alright.”

“Thank you.”

Silence fell between the two sorcerers for a minute, before Cedric heard the other man growl softly in frustration. 

“Damn it all, it’s too difficult!”

“What is?”

“Not looking at you.”

Cedric rolled his eyes yet again and turned to look at the other man. “Greylock, you and your blasted staring is driving me to my wits’ end!” 

“I’m sorry,” said Greylock, “I just can’t help it. I think I’ve had a little too much to drink tonight.”

“Really? You’ve only had a few glasses.”

“I’ve always been a lightweight.” 

“Hmm, yes. Well, I’ll try to ignore any odd behaviour from you.” Cedric paused. “Though one could say that _all_ your behaviour is odd.”

Greylock smiled. “Yes, well– I’m nothing if not odd.”

“You can say that again.”

A moment passed in which Greylock tried not to stare at Cedric, and Cedric tried not to think about Greylock staring at him.

“Cedric,” Greylock said at last, “this is a bit of a strange request, but… Could you show me that spell you did for the children earlier? Where you made the paper swan? I’ve never seen anything quite like that.”

Cedric scoffed. “You didn’t wait a moment before blowing it out of the water with one of your spells.”

“The children weren’t impressed, but that doesn’t mean _I_ wasn’t,” Greylock said. “Such things require more delicate tastes.”

“Delicate tastes such as yours?” Cedric raised an eyebrow.

“Surely I am more cultured than eight-year-olds, do I not?”

“Marginally,” Cedric said, smirking. “Well, I suppose I can show you.”

He pulled his wand out of his sleeve. _“Paperus appearo!”_ Cedric flicked his wand, conjuring a red sheet of paper in his hand. _“Swano foldano!”_ he said, and the paper became an origami swan, just as it had earlier for the children. He set it on the table. “There you are. Still impressed?”

Greylock hunched over to get a closer look at the thing. “Absolutely! Seems like a simple spell, but… This is a kind of papercraft I’ve never seen!”

“You haven’t?” Cedric returned his wand to his sleeve.

Greylock shook his head.

“It’s called ‘origami’. It comes from the kingdom of Wei-Ling. I read about it back in school.”

Greylock laughed “Well, I’ll be! Perhaps I should have paid more attention in class.”

“Oh, this was just something I read in the library after class, in all likelihood,” Cedric said. “Nothing we would have actually been taught.”

“I need to try this,” Greylock said, pulling out his wand. _“Paperus appearo!”_ He inspected the green paper that he conjured. “It’s… _‘swano foldano’,_ right?” he asked Cedric.

“Yes, that’s it.”

 _“Swano foldano!”_ a beam of light shot from the tip of his wand, and the paper transformed into a swan just like the one Cedric had made. “Incredible!” Greylock remarked. 

Cedric smirked a little. It was amusing, really, that Greylock had such childish excitement over such an easy spell. 

“I should really look into this ‘origami’,” the older sorcerer mused. “Thank you for teaching me this, Cedric.”

“It’s my pleasure.” 

Greylock was still studying his swan with awe, poring over the folds with wide-eyed interest. His fascination was endearing, Cedric had to admit. Childish, yes– but not in the same way Greylock’s pranks were childish. 

Cedric noticed that some of the guests were beginning to leave– particularly those with young children who had already stayed up past their bedtime. Cedric realized that, if it weren’t for Greylock, he’d have left as soon as he’d finished his meal– In fact, he’d likely have asked for his serving to be brought up to his workshop so he could eat alone. Wormwood was probably wondering what was taking him so long. 

Cedric felt something bump against his foot, startling him slightly. He looked under the table, and noticed that it was Greylock’s shoe. He glared at the other man. “What are you up to now?”

“It was an accident,” Greylock assured him. 

Cedric used his foot to push Greylock’s back to his own personal space, still glaring. 

Greylock allowed his foot to be moved for a moment before he pushed back against Cedric’s, smiling. 

Cedric rolled his eyes. “Good grief, man; get your feet under control!”

“Sorry– perhaps I need to dance to spend some energy.”

Cedric raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps you do.” 

“Would you care to join me?” Greylock asked. 

Cedric blushed. “Oh, no, no, no– I’m– I really cannot dance,”

“Pssh, come now! I’m sure you’re not _that_ bad!”

“You’re right, I’m _worse_ than ‘that bad’.” 

“I’m no prizewinner either, Cedric– It’s just for fun! Come on!” Greylock stood and took Cedric’s hand. 

“B-but in front of all these people? I’ll embarrass us!”

“Please?” Greylock was giving him puppy eyes, now. 

“ _Greylock_ ,” Cedric whispered, “What will people _think_ if they see us dancing together? Need I remind you that _we’re both men?_ ”

The other man pursed his lips in thought. “Oh, you spoil-sport… You’re right.” He sat down again. “You never know what the royal rumour mill would come up with.”

“Seeing as you’re quite the gossip yourself, I’m sure you could imagine,” said Cedric.

“Me? A gossip? Whatever do you mean?”

“Over dinner. You and your stories about Slickwell.”

“Oh, but that’s different! I have been _dying_ to divulge my true feelings about that man, and I never could until today!”

Cedric smirked. “Right, of course. And this is the only time you have ever gossiped?” he asked skeptically. 

“Well…” Greylock pressed his index fingertips together. “Not the _only_ time…” 

Cedric shook his head, smiling. 

Greylock giggled, and there it was again– that warmth, that stifling proximity. Cedric realized he must be tipsy. 

“Perhaps this wine is stronger than I thought,” Cedric muttered. “I can’t remember having felt like _this_ before.”

“Oh? How do you feel?” Greylock asked, resting his chin on his hand once again.

Cedric thought. “Warm. Light as a feather. Almost like I’m… nervous, but happy. Like this whole room is blurry, except our table. Like you’re…” he swallowed as he took in Greylock’s features. “Like you’re sitting too close to me, but too far at the same time,” he said. He was vaguely aware that his voice had dropped significantly, in both volume and pitch. 

Greylock smirked. “I feel that way too, Cedric.” But he said it with such a strange tone… Cedric was expecting the _“I feel it too”_ that comes in response to _“My stomach feels strange since we had that sour milk in our coffee”_. Instead, Greylock’s response was low, reassuring, intimate; it threw Cedric so terribly off guard that he closed his eyes and shook his head several times in an attempt to pull himself together. 

“Well, at least the wine is getting to the both of us,” Cedric said with an awkward laugh. 

It was odd– usually when he was drunk, everything was blurry. Now it was everything _except Greylock_ that was blurry. 

“I quite wish we were truly alone,” Greylock said. “Then I would teach you how to dance.”

“If you want to dance so badly, I’m not stopping you,” Cedric said, gesturing to the dance floor. It was much emptier now, with all the children gone.

“No, that’s not it–” Greylock dismissed. “I want to teach you.”

Cedric chuckled. “And what makes you think you’d succeed?”

Greylock shrugged. “I’m very perseverant.”

“And I’m a very poor dancer.”

“I’m up to the challenge.”

“You do like challenges, don’t you?”

“Yes. Friendly ones, especially.”

Cedric smirked at this. 

“You haven’t said, though, whether you would enjoy it,” Greylock said. 

“Enjoy what?”

“Me teaching you how to dance.”

Cedric looked away, blushing slightly. He seemed to be doing a lot of that this evening. “I… I can’t say for certain. I think it would be rather embarrassing.”

“Why? It would just be the two of us.”

Cedric couldn’t find a way to articulate that he couldn’t trust Greylock with such a thing. He wasn’t yet comfortable giving Greylock a perfect opportunity to make fun of his lack of gracefulness. 

It seemed he didn’t have to articulate it, though. 

“Oh. That was a silly thing for me to say. I’m sorry,” Greylock said, gently placing his hand over Cedric’s where it rested on the table. 

The hairs on the back of Cedric’s neck stood on end at the unexpected touch. Part of him wished to snatch his hand away and scold Greylock. He did no such thing, however. Instead, he turned slowly to look at the way Greylock’s hand covered his own, the other man’s warm palm touching the back of his gloved hand. Greylock’s fingers were splayed between his own, and this tiny point of skin-to-skin contact felt like the source of a strange glow that radiated through Cedric’s body. He noticed he was staring at their hands for quite a long moment, and forced himself to look back at Greylock. “I–” he swallowed. “Uh…”

“I’ll do my best to earn your trust, Cedric.” 

Greylock looked more serious than Cedric could ever recall seeing him, and this only added to his feeling of overwhelm. He opened his mouth to speak, but he had no words. Greylock dragged his thumb across the back of his hand, and Cedric nearly shivered. 

“Greylock? Where are you?” 

It was King Magnus. Greylock and Cedric withdrew their hands so quickly they almost knocked over their empty wine glasses. 

“I’m here, your Majesty!” Called Greylock, scooting away from Cedric. Had they really been sitting that close?

“Ah! There you are! Well, I’m thinking it’s about time you and I go back home, don’t you think?” asked King Magnus. 

Greylock couldn’t quite hide his disappointment. “Oh. Of course, your Majesty.” He carefully stuck his paper swan into his pocket and stood. 

“Well, Cedric, it’s been a lovely evening,” Greylock said as he walked towards his King. “Please do write to me. I would love for you to come to Rudistan– I would give you a personal tour of the castle.” Maintaining eye contact with Cedric, he bowed, and very purposefully winked at him before straightening. 

Cedric was too dazed to recall any sort of manners. “Goodnight, Greylock…” He muttered as the two men walked away. He stared at the door through which Greylock had left for what seemed like a full minute before he had the wherewithal to stand up from his table and begin to make his way to his workshop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cedric is so oblivious it's shocking.
> 
> The Queen of Corinthia doesn't have a canon name as far as I could find, so I gave her one myself. She's Clio's mom, and Clio is the name of a Greek muse, so I gave her the name of another Greek muse, Thalia. 
> 
> The comment about Greylock not being evil... Shhhhhh, season 4 never happened
> 
> Okay see ya next chapter


	3. This helpless haze I'm in

If anyone said anything to him at all while he trekked to his workshop, Cedric did not notice. His mind was fogged with drink and the confusion with which this whole day had left him. He made his way to his tower on autopilot, unable to break the spell it seemed Greylock had left on him. 

Was it a spell? Had Greylock hexed him? No, Greylock hadn’t used his wand, aside from when he tried Cedric’s origami spell. And that was no hex. 

Was it really just the wine? Maybe he was getting too old for nights like this. 

The stairs to his workshop were very dark. He pulled out his wand.  _ “Illumio!”  _ he said quietly. A glow emitted from the end of his wand like a torch. He crept up to his door and carefully opened it. He tiptoed inside, pushing the door behind him. He made his way towards one of the ladders so that he could climb upstairs.

Suddenly, his toe hit something metal, and a  _ clang  _ resounded through his workshop. He winced as Wormwood cawed in displeasure. 

“I’m sorry, Wormy!” he whispered. “Did I wake you up?” 

Wormwood ruffled his feathers, cawing again. 

“I was trying to be quiet, but it’s too bloody dark in here.” Cedric made his way to his desk and sat down at his chair with a sigh. Now that the raven was awake, at least he had someone to talk to.“Oh, Wormy, I had the strangest day,” he said. “Greylock, my old nemesis from Hexley Hall, was at the Royal Jubilee.”

Wormwood tilted his head, opening one eye to look at Cedric. He didn’t think Wormwood could understand him most of the time, really, but these one-sided conversations helped.

“At first he was teasing me and pranking me and calling me names like he always used to, and it was infuriating me… Just as it always used to. But then…” he looked away, trying to figure out how to put his thoughts into words. “Then something changed. He started being kinder to me. Then, suddenly, he told me that he hadn’t meant to be that cruel, and he was just trying to… show affection, in his own way. And he told me that he… liked me, and wanted to be my friend.”

Wormwood was giving Cedric his full attention now, staring at him with interest. 

“I… didn’t know what to say. Or what to do. I can’t just forgive him so quickly, can I? Though Greylock is making an effort to be nicer to me. And the King’s boat got in trouble, and Greylock and I had to save it together, and we worked so well as a team, he and I…”

Wormy tilted his head the other way. 

“Oh, but all that’s another story.” Cedric put his wand on his desk and rubbed his eyes. “Greylock and I spent the rest of the evening together, and it was… Well, it was really nice. But it was also very… strange. He kept staring at me and winking at me and I had a little too much to drink, I believe, since I started feeling all warm and light and like everything was out of focus… I don’t know how to feel. I think I want to forgive him. I think I want to be friends with him. It seems like he really does like me.” 

Cedric looked at the raven pleadingly. “But is that right? Do I really feel that way, or am I just…” he sighed. “Lonely.”

Wormwood cawed softly. 

“I am lonely. And Greylock made me feel… not so lonely. For just a bit. Maybe it has nothing to do with him at all, and everything to do with the fact that my only friends are an 8-year-old Princess and a raven.” He glanced to Wormwood. “–No offence,” he added quickly.

“Greylock wants me to write to him,” Cedric continued at last. “He wants me to visit his kingdom, and he said he’d give me a tour of the castle. What do I do, Wormy? Do I go? I really enjoyed spending time with him tonight. Being with him made me… happy. But then again…” 

Cedric held his head in his hands. “I’m too tired to think anymore. I’m going to bed. Goodnight, Wormwood.”

The raven squawked quietly in reply. 

Cedric climbed the ladder to the second floor of his workshop. He removed his robe and sat down on his bed. He took off his shoes, loosened his necktie, and unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt before settling under the covers, too exhausted and not quite sober enough to bother doing anything more. 

It wasn’t long before he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. 

* * *

Cedric was startled awake the next morning by a knock on his door. He sat up in his bed, confused. Sunlight streamed through the windows of his workshop. 

“Hello, Cedric?” came a voice from outside the door.

“Coming!” he called. Cedric looked down to make sure he was clothed. Seeing as he was, he scrambled out of bed and down the ladder to answer his door. He opened it to see one of the castle servants. 

“Cedric, I came back to get your dishes from breakfast, but I noticed that you haven’t touched your food. Is everything alright?”

The sorcerer blinked. Every morning, a servant brought his breakfast at around 9 in the morning. Usually this knock was his wake-up call– evidently not this morning. “Y-yes, I– uh… I just overslept. I’ll eat this now, then!”

The servant kept his face neutral. “Very well, sir.” He bowed slightly before leaving.

Cedric picked up the covered tray of breakfast food that had been left outside his door and brought it inside, pushing the door closed after him. He took the meal to his desk and pushed various magic accoutrements out of the way to make room. His food was all cold now, but at least he could use magic to warm it.

“Where’s my wand?” Cedric asked himself, patting around. 

Wormwood cawed and took flight. In a moment, he returned with Cedric’s family wand, and swooped back to settle on his perch. 

“Thank you, Wormy,” Cedric muttered, before getting to work on reheating his cold coffee and toast. 

It had been a while since he’d overslept that much. He supposed he didn’t know how long he’d stayed at the Royal Jubilee, but he figured that it had been late into the night. 

His stomach dropped as he recalled his predicament from yesterday. While sleeping, he was free from his confusion and his indecisiveness surrounding his budding friendship with the other sorcerer. Now that Cedric was awake, however, he had to deal with it anew. 

He added some cream and sugar into his coffee, which was hot once again. He sighed as he thought of Greylock and of the lovely time they’d had together. He hadn’t had so much fun at a party in… Well, ever, really. Greylock’s sense of humour and the easy banter they’d had together was something Cedric thought quite fondly of. 

Cedric sipped on his coffee. On the other hand, though– Greylock had never shown him any kindness before that day. The other memories he had with Greylock were all painful– Greylock had been a bully and a prankster who didn’t know when to quit. How could he let that all go so easily? It felt like weakness. Just as Cedric had thought the night prior– it was because he was lonely. The least bit of positive attention had made him blind to a past filled with grief and anguish because of Greylock. 

* * *

_ 21 years prior _

_ Cedric, still dressed in his cap and gown, had just graduated from Hexley Hall. It was a long and boring ceremony, really, but his walk onstage to shake hands with Grimtrix the Good and get his diploma had made him feel that all his difficult years of toiling to become a sorcerer had paid off. He was finally getting somewhere.  _

_ He left the theatre to find his family. He knew his mother was so proud– and even, perhaps, his father would be, too. But outside the door, among a group of graduates, Cedric saw the last person he wanted to lay eyes on. It was Greylock.  _

_ What was Greylock doing here? He’d graduated two years ago! Oh, of course... Greylock’s sister, Agnes, was in Cedric’s year. Cedric quickly tried to sneak away unnoticed. _

_ “Well, well, who do we have here?” Greylock started. “It’s Dropkick! Long time, no see” _

_ Cedric cringed. He’d been spotted. “You  _ know  _ that’s not my name, Greylock,” he retorted.  _

_ “Hey, I just wanted to congratulate you on finishing Hexley Hall– that’s quite the achievement!” Greylock slapped Cedric on the back very hard, causing the younger boy to stumble forwards. _

_ Cedric snarled, trying to hide his pain. “It can’t be much of an achievement if they let  _ you _ graduate.” _

_ Greylock laughed heartily. “Good one, Slapstick! I guess you have a sense of humour, now?” _

_ Cedric gritted his teeth. “Leave me alone.” He began to walk away.  _

_ “Wait–!” Greylock started, but Cedric didn’t want to wait. He sped up and didn’t look back. _

* * *

Cedric had run out of ragweed, so he was out in the courtyard on the lookout for some. It wasn’t quite ragweed season anymore, but he was sure he would be able to collect a few bunches. He wandered the castle grounds with a basket resting in the crook of his elbow, keeping his eyes peeled. 

“Good afternoon, Mr. Cedric!” It was Sofia, skipping towards him jauntily. 

“Why, hello, Princess!” Cedric greeted. 

“What are you doing?” she asked. 

“I’m collecting ragweed.”

Sofia scrunched up her nose. “Why would you need that?”

“It has some little-known magical properties, and is quite useful in certain potions,” Cedric answered. 

“So what kind of potion are you making?”

“Nothing yet. I simply noticed I was running low, so I came out to replenish my stock.”

“Okay!”

Cedric thought that, perhaps now that her curiosity was satiated, Sofia would be on her way. However, she didn’t go anywhere, and only looked at him, as if there was still something on her mind. 

“Mr. Cedric,” she said after a moment, “Can I ask you something?”

“Depends on what you want to ask.”

“It’s about Mr. Greylock.”

Cedric froze. “...W-what about him?”

“Did you know that he kinda looks at you funny?”

All too well. “What do you mean, your majesty?”

“Like…” Sofia put her hand on her chin and looked at Cedric with a perfect impression of Greylock’s trademark stare.

“No, I didn’t notice,” he lied. 

She rubbed her chin. “Because… Well, it kind of reminds me of… This is gonna sound silly, but it reminds me of the way Sir Bartleby was looking at my Aunt Tilly when he was in love with her but was too scared to tell her.”

Cedric blushed hard. 

Sofia giggled. “But that would be silly, right? Because you’re both boys!”

Cedric looked away. “Yes, indeed we are.”

“So I was going to ask you if there’s another reason that Mr. Greylock would look at you like that.”

“Well, I didn’t notice the way he looked at me, but there are any number of reasons someone can look at another person.”

Sofia pondered this for a moment. Cedric could all but see the gears turning in her bright little mind. At length, she finally piped up again.“Mr. Cedric, can a boy love another boy?”

Cedric turned white. “W-w… Er–” He thought fast. “–Of course they can! Your father and Prince James are both male, and they love each other, don’t they?”

“I don’t mean that! I mean like the way my Mom and Dad love each other.”

Merlin’s mushrooms. “W-well… That depends who you ask.”

“I’m asking you.”

“I-I…” Cedric swallowed. “Perhaps this is… A conversation for when you’re older.”

Sofia crossed her arms and pursed her lips in thought. “Okay,” she said after a moment, and smiled. “Have fun with your ragweeds, Mr. Cedric!” She turned on her heel and skipped away. 

_ Oh no.  _ This was decidedly not good at all. Sofia wasn’t satisfied with Cedric’s answer, and she would probably ask around until she  _ was  _ satisfied. And Cedric couldn’t have that. 

His ragweed would have to wait. As soon as Sofia was out of sight, he bolted towards the castle. 

There was one man who he could speak to about this– the only other queer man he knew of in the King’s court, and a master at problem-solving. Thankfully, he spotted this very man strutting into a corridor off the main lobby. 

“Baileywick!” he called, rushing after the steward. 

Baileywick turned and was quite surprised to see the royal sorcerer barreling towards him. “Cedric?” he questioned. “What’s the matter?”

“It’s very,  _ very _ urgent,” the sorcerer insisted as he approached. 

“Oh?” 

“The Princess–” he looked around to check that no one was near. He panted. “–just asked me if–” he was quite out of breath. “–if two men can love each other.”

Baileywick’s eyes widened. “Oh, dear. And what did you tell her?”

“I tried to… brush off the question–” he wheezed slightly– “but she wouldn’t take anything but a straight answer.” He cleared his throat. “No pun intended.”

The older man rubbed his temple. “I’m glad that you tried, Cedric. But we can’t have her asking such things around the castle!”

“Precisely.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” the butler said in his usual confident tone. “Goodday, Cedric.”

“Thank you, Baileywick,” Cedric said as the other man rushed down the hallway. 

Cedric sighed, leaning against a wall to finally catch his breath. 

What was Sofia on about, anyway, when she’d said Greylock had been staring at her like Sir Bartleby stared at the Duchess Matilda? That was preposterous. Right?  _ No one  _ had ever looked at Cedric like  _ that _ before.

Not to say that he was a complete stranger to being stared at in certain ways. Cedric had had…  _ flings _ when he was younger, and he was accustomed to the gaze of these men from across a crowded room. The almost predatory glint in their eyes that made Cedric burst with a secret pride. He knew the hungry stare with which his partners would affix his rear as he walked out, swinging his hips. He knew the bedroom eyes of his partners as they were finally alone, as they retreated into a dark room to get to know each other in a brief but vivid way. 

Greylock’s eyes didn’t hold any of this– gods, no. Cedric had no reason to believe that Greylock was even interested in  _ men,  _ let alone him. And what did Sofia know, anyway? She was but a child. An almost eerily smart, strangely perceptive child blessed with a magical amulet, yes– but a child nonetheless. 

* * *

_ 23 years prior _

_ It was the last day of school before the summer vacation, and Cedric was getting ready to go home. He’d almost left before he realized he’d forgotten a book in the music room after his final band class. He rushed through the halls, now mostly empty, and made his way to the arts wing. As he approached the music room, he heard soft piano music from behind its closed door. It was a beautiful melody, and played very well. He imagined it had to be Mr. Hoffmann, the music teacher– who else would be playing the piano after the end of the day on the last day of school, and playing so well? _

_ Cedric knocked on the door and the music stopped. He opened the door and peeked inside. “Mr. Hoffmann–?” Except the person sitting at the piano, staring at Cedric in panic, was not Mr. Hoffmann at all; it was Greylock. The two boys stared at each other in shock for a brief second before Greylock sighed in relief.  _

_ “I thought I was about to get in big trouble,” _

_ “Why are you…?” _

_ “I just wanted to play this piano one more time,” Greylock said, running his fingertips lightly over the keyboard. _

_ “I see,” Cedric said. He spotted his book on the music stand near the piano, and he rushed to grab it. _

_ Greylock quickly snatched up the book. “This yours?” he asked. _

_ Cedric frowned. “Yes.” _

_ Greylock opened the book and flipped through it. “Flute études? Since when do you play the flute?” Greylock asked. _

_ “None of your business, Greylock,” Cedric grumbled. _

_ “Henrik, don’t be rude!” he chided. _

_ “It’s  _ Cedric,”  _ the younger boy said, snatching his book back. “And you’re not one to talk about being rude.” He turned and began to leave the room.  _

_ Greylock laughed. “You know, I’m gonna miss you, Seasick.” _

_ Cedric glared at the other. “The feeling is  _ not _ mutual.” He left the music room in a rush. He almost thought about finding a teacher to tell that Greylock was playing the piano unsupervised, but he wasn’t feeling quite that petty. _

* * *

Cedric was tidying his workshop that afternoon when he heard a knock at his door. 

“Who is it?” he called. 

“It’s Baileywick. May I come in?”

“Coming!” Cedric quickly straightened, brushing the dust off his robe. He opened the door to allow the butler inside. “Sorry about the mess; I’m in the middle of cleaning.”

Baileywick looked around. “I didn’t notice a difference.”

Cedric chuckled awkwardly. “So…?” 

“I spoke to the King and Queen. I told them that Sofia was asking questions about whether men could love other men, and I asked them what they wanted me to tell her. The Queen thanked me for letting her know and told me she would give Sofia a talk about it. She also let me know that she and Roland were supportive of... ‘all different kinds of love’, as she put it, and that they would teach their children to be accepting as well.”

Cedric sighed, slumping into his chair. “Now that’s a relief.”

“I quite agree,” Baileywick answered. He cleared his throat. “I would advise you to be... more careful in the future, if you and Greylock are to attend social gatherings together. You should probably speak to Greylock about this, as well. People– even young princesses– are more perceptive than you think.”

Cedric blushed. “W-w-w… Why does everyone seem to think there’s something going on between me and Greylock?”

Baileywick sighed. “Cedric, don’t bother. I saw the way you two were getting on last night.”

Cedric groaned in frustration. “Well, you saw incorrectly. I don’t even think we’re  _ friends _ .”

Baileywick raised his eyebrows. “Oh? An ex, then?”

“What–? No! We  _ never  _ had anything between us, we don’t now, and we never will! I don’t think he is even interested in men.”

Baileywick smirked. “Alright, if you say so. Good evening, Cedric.”

“Good evening, Baileywick. And… thank you.”

Baileywick nodded to him. “Don’t mention it.” He stepped out of Cedric’s workshop, closing the door behind himself. 

Cedric glared at Wormwood. “Greylock and I,  _ involved  _ with each other?” he scoffed. “Nonsense. I’m not sure how Sofia and Baileywick saw anything suspect in our behaviour last night. We were simply having conversation. Sure, Greylock looked at me funny, but that’s because he’s  _ Greylock.  _ Nothing he does is normal. How does that become  _ my  _ problem?” 

Wormwood blinked at him. 

“And Greylock likes  _ women–  _ at least, as far as I know. And even if, by some incredible chance, he  _ did _ like men…” Cedric shook his head. “I would never. I have much higher standards.”

His raven companion cawed. Cedric frowned. “Alright, perhaps my standards aren’t that high. But they’re certainly higher than  _ Greylock." _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of the many weird things about Sofia the First is that it seems to be set in the 19th century, but most people have 21st century values and ideologies. So uh yeah I'm trying to navigate that.
> 
> Greylock being a music geek is the headcanon I didn't know I needed. He was probably playing a Chopin nocturne on the piano.
> 
> Also... In this fic's universe, did Baileywick and Cedric have a relationship or some kind of fwb deal that has since fizzled out due to their incompatibility as partners, but they still remain amicable, and have a weird but close bond because of it? Maybe. I did used to ship Cedwick. Or do they just look out for each other because they're both gay? Perhaps. You can make that decision for yourself. I realized while writing this that I'm kind of making them sound like exes on good terms. 
> 
> Okay hope you liked, see ya in chapter 4


	4. I thought I knew the score

Two weeks, give or take a couple days, had passed since the Royal Jubilee, and Cedric’s life had been proceeding exactly as it had before that event. No one pestered him about some invented relationship between himself and Greylock, and he eventually stopped thinking about Greylock at all. He was willing to write off that night as a bizarre blip in the continuity of his regular life. 

Nothing unusual occurred whatsoever, in fact, until one Wednesday afternoon, Cedric heard a knock on his workshop door. 

“I have a package for you, Cedric,” came a voice from the hall. 

Cedric furrowed his eyebrows. That was odd. He certainly wasn’t expecting anything. “Coming!” he said as he rushed to get the door. 

Once he opened it, he was handed a very small box. “Here you are, sir. Goodday.” The servant bowed and left. 

“Thank you,” Cedric replied, contemplating the box.” He closed his door and took the mysterious package to his desk. 

“Whatever could this be?” he muttered to himself. It was certainly addressed to him, but there was so sign of who or where it had come from. Cedric held it up to his ear and shook it gently. There was a quiet “thunk” of sorts as whatever was in the box rattled around. It was, however, very light. 

Cedric carefully opened the box, half expecting it to contain a spider or a booby trap. However, all that was inside was a paper swan and a small scrap of paper. The paper said  _ “Unfold the swan -G. the G.” _ in a jaunty script.

Raising his eyebrow, Cedric picked up the swan and began to unfold the careful creases. It soon became apparent to him that this was a letter, all written in the same hand as the first note. Finally, he’d unfolded the whole thing, and found the beginning of the letter. 

> _ Dear Cedric, _
> 
> _ If you haven’t already guessed from the manner in which I presented this letter– Hello, this is Greylock. _

Cedric blushed. Greylock. Of course– why didn’t he guess? The box, the swan… It all made sense. He half wanted to burn the whole kit and kaboodle now, but he couldn’t help but want to continue. 

> _ I was waiting for you to write to me, but it’s been awhile and I no longer wished to wait. Patience isn’t one of my strong suits, you see. I’ve been thinking of you a lot since we last saw each other.  _
> 
> _ If you haven’t written to me because you’ve come to the decision that I am an insufferable jester and you would like to go without ever seeing my ugly mug again– that’s quite understandable. If I receive no response to this note, I will assume this is the case and I promise I will leave you be. You may also feel free to disregard the rest of this letter. _
> 
> He once again felt the urge to dispose of the thing, but he couldn’t. The letter went on to fill both sides of the rather large paper. Greylock had a lot to say to him, it seemed. The very fact that Greylock had written to him was indicative of some amount of care from the other man. It was a little touching, Cedric had to admit. It wasn’t often he received letters. He figured he should read the rest, at least, before throwing it in the fire. 

Greylock had left a few lines of empty space before continuing:

> _ You’re still reading? I’m a little surprised, I must admit. I’m not sure I would, if I were you.  _

At least Greylock was self-aware. 

> _ I once again thank you for giving me this chance to earn your trust. It truly means a lot to me– more than you realize.  _ _ You  _ _ mean a lot to me.  _

Something here was thoroughly crossed out.

> _ In any case, I have been dying to let you know the latest Rudistanian drama! Slickwell being fired has turned the castle inside-out, let me tell you! All the servants were ecstatic upon hearing the news. Everyone hated that guy, Cedric. He was a massive prick and everyone wanted to see him go. Of course, King Magnus needed a new steward. And of course, King Magnus needed to find the  _ _ best _ _ steward. He held this... audition of sorts to select a new butler. A call was put out to servants in the castle and to the kingdom at large that the King was looking for a new right-hand man. And you couldn’t imagine how many men showed up! I woke up that morning and I thought we were under siege, given the veritable army that was at our front door! And it took days– yes,  _ _ days _ _ – for King Magnus to put them all through his tests and challenges and what-have-you. He did finally choose, though– a rather young fellow named Kristoffer. I’ve only just met him a couple times, but he seems much kinder than Slickwell. Not that that’s really a noteworthy comparison, but I’m happy that the servants won’t have someone dictatorial ordering them around anymore.  _
> 
> _ How are things in Enchancia? I’m assuming Baileywick is back to his usual self? _
> 
> _ I wrote to my sister Agnes and told her that I saw you. I’m not sure how well you remember her, as I don’t believe you two were particularly close, but she said she remembers you from school, and that she’s glad you’ve landed your cushy job as the royal sorcerer of Enchancia. She’s rather envious– she’s only employed by a Duke, you see.  _
> 
> _ Cedric, I do wish to see you soon! I hope you know that my offer to show you around the castle still stands. In fact, I’d like to make my offer more precise: how would you like to visit this Friday afternoon? I could send a flying coach to collect you around, say, one o’clock? Perhaps you could stay for tea, as well, if you’re not too busy. Does that sound agreeable? Please do write back to me at your earliest convenience if you would like to come on Friday. I will need to make sure the King knows I won’t be available to do his bidding for a period of time that afternoon.  _
> 
> _ I do hope to hear from you.  _
> 
> _ Yours truly, _ _  
>  _ _ Greylock _
> 
> _ P. S. I’ve been reading about the ‘origami’ from Wei-Ling you told me about. It’s quite interesting! I haven’t been able to find any other spells to create it, but I’ve been trying my hand at folding it myself. Alas, I’m not very good. Perhaps you could teach me other spells? I’m trying to decorate my workshop, and I believe I have enough swans.  _

Cedric stared at the letter, a little in awe. It seemed Greylock was genuinely excited to talk to Cedric, and that he wanted to let him know all about the goings-on in his castle. The invitation, too, was indicative that Greylock had thought this through to some degree already. 

After reading the letter again, the sorcerer sighed. What was he to do? He’d already somewhat decided not to continue speaking to Greylock, as he didn’t think he could quite forgive the man for their past… But this letter made him question everything again. It brought the memory of the Royal Jubilee fresh to his mind; of the way he and Greylock had become a team to save the King’s schooner, of the chemistry they had as they talked all night after dinner. 

“Oh, Wormy… I thought I had this all figured out…” he complained. The raven ruffled his feathers.

He needed the help of someone who could actually understand him and offer him advice. He stood up and walked towards the painting of his parents that hung in his workshop. 

“Mummy, are you there?” he asked. Nothing. He waved at the painting. “Mummy! Hello?”

The painting shimmered and Cedric’s mother appeared in his workshop, floating gently down onto the floor. 

“Ceddy-kins!” she said, rushing towards her son to give him a big hug. “My motherly instincts told me something was wrong, and then I saw you standing in front of the painting and waving…” she pulled back. “What’s wrong, darling?”

Cedric sighed. “Mum, do you remember Greylock from when I went to Hexley Hall?”

She frowned. “That awful boy who used to torment you? Of course I do!”

“Well… I’m in a bit of a predicament… It’s a rather long story, though… Do you have time?”

Winifred waved her wand and conjured a chair. She sat down. “I always have time for my Ceddy-kins.”

Cedric sat at his desk. He cleared his throat, and began to tell her about all that had happened at the Royal Jubilee. Of course, he left out the way the both of them had gotten rather tipsy, and how Greylock had been staring at him, and how Sofia and Baileywick had both believed there was something going on between the two of them. His mother listened with rapt attention, nodding along as Cedric told her all about his internal conflict. 

“–And then, today, I received this letter,” he said at last, handing it to his mother. “It was a swan, but I had to unfold it to read it.”

Cedric waited impatiently as his mother read the letter. After what felt like forever, she handed it back to Cedric with a smile. 

“Well? What do you think?” Cedric asked her. 

“What do  _ you  _ think, Cedric?”

“I don’t know what I think, and that’s why I called you to help!” he complained.

“Well, this is ultimately something you have to decide for yourself, dear. I can only tell you that, as your mother, it made me so sad to see you crying after school because this Greylock had called you names or pushed you in mud or whatever else. I never met the boy, but I hated him as much as you did– probably more.”

“So you think I shouldn’t forgive him?”

“–I wasn’t finished. I have always believed in second chances, you know. And, from my outside perspective, it seems that Greylock has really changed. It sounds like he wants to turn over a new leaf with you. And this letter is written like he’s talking to an old best friend! I almost felt improper reading it. It looks like he cares about you a lot, Cedric.”

“So you think I  _ should _ forgive him?”

Winifred chuckled. “It’s not my decision to make. I can only tell you that it looks like you may have a true friend in Greylock, if you can forget all he did to you in the past.”

“I’m starting to wonder if maybe he wasn’t that much of a bully, after all,” Cedric muttered. “After the Jubilee, I’ve remembered some of our interactions from school, and realized that maybe he was just… trying to joke around with me, like friends do. Just as he said.” 

His mother said nothing.

“And I would say mean things to Greylock, too, Mum. I thought I was defending myself, but maybe I made him think I was teasing him back.”

“That’s possible.”

“And I… I had a great time with him. We talked for  _ hours,  _ and it felt like no time at all. It was like it was just us two in the entire castle. I haven’t felt that kind of connection to anyone in… maybe my whole life.”

“Cedric, do you want to see him again?”

“Yes, very much!” Cedric answered without hesitation.

“Well, then you’d better write to him!”

“You’re right, I should!” 

She stood up and made her chair disappear with a flick of her wand. “Well, I’d best leave you to it, then.”

“Thank you, Mummy,” Cedric said. “You always know just what to say.”

She giggled. “They don’t call me ‘Winifred the Wise’ for nothing! Goodbye, Ceddy!”

Cedric was already getting a parchment ready. “Goodbye!”

He heard a shimmering sound as his mother disappeared into the painting. 

“I’ve got no time to lose,” Cedric said to himself as he dipped his pen into his inkwell. 

* * *

It took him a surprisingly long time to finish the letter, and he had to start over several times. Once his letter was satisfactory, he reread it one last time:

> _ Greylock, _
> 
> _ This is Cedric. Thank you for your letter. I must confess, I considered never speaking to again, as you are, indeed, an insufferable jester. However, I ultimately decided to humour you a little longer. You are quite fun, after all. _
> 
> _ To get to the point, I gladly accept your invitation. I’ll request the afternoon off as soon as I can get an audience with King Roland. I shall be ready at one o’clock this Friday afternoon. I look forward to your tour. _
> 
> _ I am pleased to hear that Slickwell was replaced by someone less conniving. I hope the new steward stays that way and doesn’t turn to cursed jewelry.  _
> 
> _ Things have been entirely normal here in Enchancia, and Baileywick hasn’t done so much as stumble since the Jubilee. Absolutely nothing of interest to report from my end.  _
> 
> _ I’m a little surprised Agnes remembers me. I’m not particularly memorable. As for her envy, I can only imagine that working for a duke is more enjoyable than working for a king; much less pressure.  _
> 
> _ About origami– I’m glad I’ve introduced you to a new hobby. Unfortunately, I only remember two spells: the one to make swans, and another which makes quaint little stars. The spell is “Stella Foldana”– note the ending in -a. Standard wand pattern Sigma, if I recall correctly. Though it could also be SWP Theta. These should be perfect to decorate your workshop.  _
> 
> _ Well, as I have nothing else of note to say, I shall sign off now. I look forward to visiting you on Friday.  _
> 
> _ Cedric _

Cedric looked at Wormwood. “You’ve been to Rudistan, have you not?”

The raven cawed. 

“Would it be too much trouble for you to take this letter?” 

Wormwood took off, flying circles around the workshop. 

“Wonderful.” Cedric carefully rolled up the parchment and secured it with a ribbon. “Go to the King’s castle and find Greylock’s workshop. I hope it’s in a tower as is usually the case, and not sequestered somewhere inside the castle…”

Wormwood picked up the letter in his claws and continued circling the workshop. Cedric quickly opened the window to allow his bird out. 

“Thank you, Wormy!” he called after him. Wormwood cawed in return. 

* * *

A few hours later, Cedric heard a distinctive squawk from the distance. “Wormwood!” He rushed to stand beside the still-open window. Soon enough, Wormwood swooped inside, dropped something into Cedric’s hands, and landed on his perch. 

Cedric looked at what the raven had brought him. It was a rolled-up piece of parchment, secured with a ribbon. At first, Cedric thought that Wormwood had brought his own letter back to him, but he then realized that the parchment and ribbon were not the same as before. 

“Did Greylock send this?”

Wormwood cawed before getting to work preening his feathers. 

“Oh, thank you, Wormy! You’re the best animal companion a sorcerer could have!”

Cedric opened the letter immediately and began to read. 

> _ Dear Cedric, _
> 
> _ I must say, I was quite surprised when a raven appeared at my window, cawing persistantly. I thought perhaps this was an omen of my impending doom. My cat, Freya, was also quite unsure of the visitor. However, when I noticed the parchment in its claw, I opened the window. I’ve heard of messenger pigeons and hawks, but never a messenger  _ _ raven! _ _ It flapped inside and dropped the letter off on my desk. As soon as I read that the letter was from you, I realized this must be your Wormwood– how spectacular! I asked him to stay and rest while I composed my response. Thankfully, he obliged, and is perched on my hatstand, watching me as I write. Freya is still quite skeptical of there being a rather large bird in her territory, but it seems they’re having a friendly chat, as it were. _
> 
> _ I’m so very happy to hear from you, and so quickly! I suppose a raven does indeed work faster than the postal system. And I’m even more glad that you accept my invitation! I’m oh so excited– Friday  _ _ cannot _ _ come fast enough! _
> 
> _ Thank you for your helpful information! I’ll try the star spell immediately. I do hope it works! _
> 
> _ I would write more, but Wormwood seems to be growing impatient. Besides, I’ll be able to speak to you in person in a short two days. Give Wormwood some extra birdseed from me as payment for his excellent service! _
> 
> _ See you soon! _
> 
> _ Yours excitedly, (Excitedly yours?) _ _  
>  _ _ -G. the G. _

Cedric smiled at the letter. Greylock had a charming way with words. He could hear the other man’s voice through the buoyant scrawl on the parchment, his own mannerisms as he told of his excitement. It warmed Cedric’s heart. 

“Thank you again, Wormy,” Cedric said. “I will indeed be giving you extra birdseed tonight!”

* * *

_ 23 years prior _

_ It was lunch break, and Cedric was attempting to get to the library– where he almost always spent his lunch. However, a large crowd of students had amassed in the main hall, and Cedric couldn’t squeeze by. At the center, there were two senior year students– a girl and a boy. The boy stood up on the bench and cleared his throat. Cedric scowled. It was Greylock.  _

_ “Prudence, I am sure you’re asking _ _  
_ _ Why I’ve brought you here today: _ _  
_ _ The answer is to put my passion _ _  
_ _ For you now, on full display!” _

_ Prudence blushed, and Cedric rolled his eyes. What a corny attempt at poetry.  _

_ “Prudence, we have been good friends _ _  
_ _ Since first we came to Hexley Hall, _ _  
_ _ But the way I see you now transcends _ _  
_ _ The youthful feelings I recall. _

_ Prudence, you are oh so fair, _ _  
_ _ Venus would be put to shame; _ _  
_ _ Your bright blue eyes, your golden hair, _ _  
_ _ Usurp all muses I could name.” _

_ Cedric’s eyes widened. This… wasn’t actually that bad.  _

_ “Prudence, I would build an ark, _ _  
_ _ And sail ‘til I ran out of ocean. _ _  
_ _ On any quest I would embark, _ _  
_ _ Just to show you my devotion. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ I am no knight with armour shining, _ _  
_ _ I am just Greylock, it’s plain to see. _ __  
_ Prudence, if you’ll forgive my pining: _ _  
_ __ Will you go to prom with me?”

_ Prudence was smiling wider than Cedric thought possible. “Yes!” she exclaimed. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Greylock smiled back just as wide, and hopped off his bench to kiss Prudence passionately. The students grew louder. _

_ Cedric was finally able to squeeze by as the onlookers moved to close in on the two young lovers. On his way to the library, he pondered what he’d just witnessed. What a bizarre, overdramatic way to ask someone to prom. Cedric hated that the poetry wasn’t awful, either. There were some nice metaphors in there. It was still not good, of course. But Cedric wished it were worse. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The devil works hard but Wormwood works harder. 
> 
> I decided to add a bit to Sofia the First's magic system in the way that there are wand patterns that work or don't work with certain spells, and these wand patterns are named with Greek letters. I'm thinking there's "standard wand patterns/SWPs", "advanced wand patterns/AWPs", and "expert wand patterns/EWPs" or something like that? Idk I'm in a conducting class at school and that's something that popped into my head.
> 
> Also Greylock is a bisexual king who wrote a love poem to ask his crush to prom and sends origami letters to the boy he likes and that's CANON.


	5. Out my song must pour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've started giving the chapters titles taken from the song "I've Never Been in Love Before" from the musical Guys and Dolls because I feel like it fits too well with the fic. Here are the full lyrics:
> 
> I've never been in love before  
> Now all at once it's you  
> It's you forever more  
> I've never been in love before  
> I thought my heart was safe  
> I thought I knew the score  
> But this is wine  
> It's all too strange and strong  
> I'm full of foolish song  
> And out my song must pour  
> So please forgive  
> This helpless haze I'm in  
> I've really never been  
> In love before

One o’clock on Friday afternoon took far too long to arrive, it seemed to Cedric. Thursday was excruciating– it droned on and on in Cedric’s anticipation. His life seemed even more boring when he had something to look forward to. When it was finally Friday, Cedric woke up extra early in his excitement, and had an entire morning to spend pacing his workshop, impatiently waiting for the sacred hour at which the coach from Rudistan would finally arrive. 

At quarter to one, Cedric said goodbye to Wormwood and rushed to the castle foyer to wait for the coach. After some time watching out the window, he heard footsteps from down the hall. 

“Good afternoon, Cedric,” came Baileywick’s familiar voice. “I heard you’re off for the rest of the day.”

“I am indeed,” Cedric replied. 

“Where are you off to?”

“Rudistan. To visit Greylock.” 

Cedric shot the butler a look, and the man was indeed regarding him with raised eyebrows. “I know what you’re thinking,” he muttered, “and I want you to know that you’re _wrong.”_

Baileywick smiled. “Oh, of course. I’m only surprised. You said you weren’t exactly friends. I suppose that has changed?”

“Yes, it has. He sent me a nice letter, and I… reconsidered how I felt about him.”

Baileywick snickered. 

“What?”

“Cedric, you’re a terrible liar.”

Cedric grumbled. “I am not lying! We’re just friends.”

“Mm-hm.” The steward clearly didn’t believe him.

“And he’s _straight.”_

“So you’ve told me.”

“He dated a girl when we were in school.”

“That doesn’t mean he can’t also be interested in men.”

“I suppose that’s true. But he isn’t interested in _me._ And I’m not in _him.”_

Baileywick laughed. “Alright, fine. Enjoy your visit with your ‘ _friend’._ ”

“Thank you, I will,” Cedric replied firmly. He looked back out the window in time to see a flying coach that was nearing the landing strip. The sorcerer all but gasped and ran out the door; to hell with what Baileywick thought of him! 

The coach landed and pulled up to the main entrance, and Cedric was astonished to see an unexpected passenger.

“Greylock! I didn’t realize _you_ were coming to get me!” he said. 

“Surprise!” Greylock said, throwing his arms up comically. The coachman moved to step down, but Greylock waved his hand to stop him. “Oh, no, I won’t have you doing that. I’m not King Magnus_ I can open and close my own doors.” The coachman chuckled and settled back into his seat. 

Greylock quite literally hopped out of the coach and came rushing towards Cedric. He opened his arms and crashed into Cedric, nearly knocking the air out of him, before squeezing him in a tight bear hug. “Oh, I’m so happy to see you!” he said into Cedric’s shoulder. 

Cedric blushed a little and hugged him back awkwardly. “I’m happy to see you too, Greylock.”

The older man let him go at last. “Come, let’s get out of here! I’ve so much to show you!”

Greylock jogged back to the coach and Cedric followed close behind. Greylock held the door open for Cedric and offered a hand to steady him as he embarked. 

“Well, you’re being awfully courteous,” Cedric remarked as he took Greylock’s hand and climbed aboard.

“Well, I had to start being a gentleman at some point,” he joked, climbing up and closing the door behind him. He sat to Cedric’s right at the back of the coach. 

“Cedric, this is Rudistan’s finest coachman, Erik. Erik, this is Enchancia’s finest sorcerer, Cedric,” Greylock introduced them. 

Erik tipped his hat to Cedric. “How do you do,” he said. Cedric realized he didn’t know a single Enchancian coachman by name. 

“Alright, let’s get this thing moving!” Greylock said with all the excitement of a child experiencing his first ride in a flying coach. 

“Yes, Sir!” Erik took the reins, and they were off. 

Cedric looked towards the castle and saw Baileywick watching out the window with a smirk. That nosey butler would never let Cedric live this down, would he?

The coach ascended and eventually leveled out at an appropriate height. “Ah, lovely weather up here, don’t you think, Cedric?” Greylock put his feet up on the opposite bench and laced his fingers behind his head. 

“Yes, quite.” He was almost surprised by the way Greylock was sitting so casually. _Almost_ surprised. 

“How’s your day been so far?” Greylock probed, eager to get a real conversation going. 

“Oh, I got nothing done,” Cedric answered honestly. “I was too excited.”

Greylock laughed. “Oh, me too! That’s why I decided to come to get you– I couldn’t possibly wait that long.”

Cedric smiled. “You surprised yourself, then, too?”

“I suppose I did! I’ve never been a big fan of strict schedules and plans, though. It’s much more fun to be spontaneous!” 

“Yes, that is your modus operandi.”

“What, being spontaneous?”

“Being fun.”

Greylock winked. “You got it!”

Cedric looked over the edge of the coach, watching Enchancia go by far below. 

“Enchancia’s such a big kingdom, isn’t it?” Greylock remarked. 

“It is, yes.”

“Have you even been to all of it?”

“No, I suppose I haven’t.”

“You should! And you should take me!” Greylock said. 

“I didn’t know you were a traveller.”

“I’ll go anywhere, as long as it’s fun.”

Cedric smiled. “Of course you’d say that.”

“And you? I’ve never seen you as the adventurous type.”

The younger sorcerer chuckled. “Me? No, certainly not. But I have the occasional excursion to some magical location… More often as of late, it seems.”

“So you must have some exciting stories to tell!”

“Yes, though I’m not much of a storyteller. These things get all jumbled up in my head.”

“Hmm. But you’ve always been such a bookworm! And you always did so well on your technical reports in school– At least according to Agnes.”

“Both true, but that’s different. I can read for hours on end, and I can write clearly and concisely. I’m no storyteller, though. You’re the creative one, between us.”

“I suppose. Music was all I ever excelled at in school.” 

“I remember. You were Mr. Hoffmann’s star pupil.”

“Mr. Hoffmann was so easy to please, though! He would applaud even my errors.”

Cedric scoffed. “I can’t recall _ever_ hearing Mr. Hoffmann applaud me. I was a shit musician, though– He switched me from clarinet, to horn, to flute… It didn’t matter. I didn’t have it in me. Neither did most of the school, though, so I didn’t feel too badly.”

Greylock frowned. “I hate to see people give up on music. I’m the only one of my siblings who still plays, and it makes me sad.”

“Oh? What instruments do you still play, then?”

“Mostly piano and violin. I play when I need a break from my duties.”

“That sounds… nice.”

“It is.” Greylock paused for a moment. “But that wasn’t my point– I’m sure you weren’t as bad as you thought.”

Cedric raised his eyebrows. “No, Greylock– I know you want to think I’m selling myself short, but I’m really no good at music. I like listening to it, but that’s it.”

Greylock shrugged. “I suppose that’s valid. It’s just that playing music is so… Fun, and so enriching!”

“It is for you. For me, it was always just aggravating.”

“Well, it’s aggravating for me, too, at times. But that’s what motivates me to keep practicing to get over that hurdle!”

Cedric shook his head. “We’re simply built differently, you and I, Greylock. Admit it.”

“Perhaps,” Greylock said. “But you know what they say: opposites attract.” The older man grinned. 

“I suppose so.”

* * *

Within an hour, the coach had arrived in front of the Rudistanian castle. It was very grand; gaudy, almost– though Cedric had expected nothing less from the lair of King Magnus. 

As soon as the coach had stopped, Greylock excitedly got to his feet and opened the coach door. He hopped onto the ground and once again offered his hand to Cedric.

“I’m not a princess,” Cedric muttered. He took Greylock’s hand anyway. 

“Doesn’t mean I can’t treat you like one,” Greylock said with a wink. “Thank you ever so much, Erik!” Greylock called to the coachman.

Erik tipped his hat. “Don’t mention it, Greylock.” The coach pulled away. 

A tall man with long, blond hair emerged from the castle’s main doors. 

“Ah, Kristoffer!” Greylock called, waving at him. The man approached. 

“This is our new castle steward, Kristoffer,” Greylock said. “As you can see, we had a _massive_ upgrade.” He said, presenting the man grandly. “In all departments,” he said.

Kristoffer chuckled. “Greylock, you charmer.”

Cedric blushed. Was this… _Flirting?_ No, it couldn’t be– Greylock wasn’t gay. Nonetheless, Cedric didn’t like this one bit. 

“And this, of course, is my talented colleague, Cedric,” Greylock continued. 

Kristoffer bowed slightly. “Pleased to meet you, sir.”

“Likewise,” Cedric said, a little less than genuinely.

“Would you be able to arrange tea and biscuits brought to my workshop at tea time?” Greylock asked the butler. 

“Certainly, Greylock.”

“Wonderful! Thank you very much.” Greylock turned to Cedric. “Now, shall we begin our tour? I was thinking I could show you around the courtyard, first.”

Kristoffer took this as his cue to return to the castle. Cedric was a little too pleased to see him go.

“Alright, lead the way,” Cedric said. 

Greylock stuck his elbow out towards Cedric, looking at him with a bashful smile. It took the younger man a moment to understand, but then, blushing a little, he linked arms with the other man. 

Greylock led him on a stroll through the castle grounds, showing Cedric all his favourite spots, commenting on when and how and under what circumstances various features were added, and often providing a humorous anecdote about something that happened in the area. Cedric was enraptured, both by the beautiful courtyards and by the way Greylock could talk endlessly without ever becoming boring. Greylock’s eyes, too, were alight with excitement as he spoke, and it made him look as youthful as his personality Cedric couldn’t help but watch him, endeared by his exuberance.

Eventually, the two of them sat on a garden bench to rest for a moment. Though there was plenty of room for the two of them, Greylock sat so close to Cedric that their knees and shoulders almost touched. They bantered for a while, watching the small animals and butterflies frolic around them. A natural lull occurred in their conversation, and Greylock turned to Cedric. 

“Forgive my prodding,” he started, “but do you… consider us ‘friends’, now? I’m finding it difficult to find alternate ways to refer to you.”

Cedric was a little caught off guard by the question. “Uh… I…” he bit his lip. “I suppose we are friends, now.”

“You _suppose_? Or are you enthusiastic about it? I don’t want to impose that description on you.”

Cedric looked down at his shoes. “No, you’re not imposing. I’ve made my decision about you. I’ve thought on it a lot– perhaps too much. And before you sent me your first letter, I thought I had decided I would never speak to you again. But that letter made me rethink it all. I do wish to be friends with you, Greylock.”

The other man smiled. “I’m so happy to hear that. I’m sorry I brought you so much conflict, though, Cedric.”

“It was my fault for overthinking it.”

“No, it was my fault for giving you something to overthink. If I hadn’t been an ass to you when we were younger…”

“I’ve been thinking about that, as well,” Cedric said. “I realize I was rude to you, too, back then. I saw you as a bully, and I would insult you, thinking I was standing up for myself. In hindsight, I may have been more abrasive than you.”

Greylock smiled sadly. “Yes, you… were rather abrasive. And it confused me. I thought I was teasing you in a friendly manner, and you would return with a quip of your own that would make it seem like you were playing along, but there would be such venom in your voice. And you always ran away. It hurt sometimes.”

Cedric looked at the other man with concern. “Really? I hurt you?”

“...Well, yes,” Greylock replied meekly. “I was too stupid to understand that you were avoiding me and lashing out because you didn’t like my teasing. And so I just felt… confused. And sad.”

The younger sorcerer frowned. “I’m sorry. I wish we would have worked things out sooner.”

“Me too,” Greylock agreed. _“But_ we’ve certainly worked things out now, haven’t we?” Greylock nudged Cedric playfully. “Come, let’s continue the tour!” He stood. 

Cedric stood up as well, and linked arms with Greylock once again. 

“I won’t show you _every_ room in the castle, goodness no– But I’ll show you the highlights.”

* * *

The castle was perhaps even more illustrious on the interior, with high ceilings and stone carvings and immense paintings of all sorts. Greylock showed him the most interesting rooms– the armoury, the library, the stables, the ballroom, a room King Magnus had filled with memorabilia of himself. 

“Now, for my favourite room of all!” Greylock said, leading Cedric up a tower. The younger man was entirely expecting this room to be Greylock’s workshop, but he was blown away when Greylock opened the door with a _“Ta-da!”_.

The room was beautiful. Cedric was agog as he stepped inside. It was spacious and open, lit by a skylight on the roof of the tower and large windows on the wall opposite the door. The other walls were lined with shelves upon shelves of books of all sorts, organized neatly. Everything in the workshop, in fact, was organized neatly– even the large desk on the right side of the room where Greylock presumably did most of his work. Near the desk, there was a grand piano that was the colour of natural wood instead of a traditional black. Here, the floor was light hardwood, but on the left side of the room, it transitioned to a sort of beige cobblestone. On that side, there was a smaller round table with several chairs, and a vase with some flowers in the middle. Along the far wall, there was a staircase that led to the upper level.

“So? What do you think?” Greylock asked as he closed the door behind them. 

“It’s… lovely. So much nicer than my workshop, I have to say. I’m a little jealous.” 

Greylock laughed. “I’m glad you like it!”

Cedric heard a meow– he glanced to the stairs and saw a rather large cat making its way down to where they stood. 

“This is Freya,” Greylock said. “I got her from a friend in Tangu, when her cat unexpectedly had kittens.”

Freya approached Cedric and immediately began purring and rubbing herself against his leg. “Aw, she likes you already!” Greylock said. “She’s very friendly, and an excellent judge of character, at that.”

Cedric looked down. Freya was mostly white, but there was a patch of grey fur around her right eye, and her tail was grey as well. She had an odd sort of pushed-in face that Cedric found quite endearing. He leaned over to pet her, and she bumped his hand with her head. “It seems she’s a lot more affectionate than Wormwood,” Cedric joked. 

“Yes, she’s a lovely lap cat. But she can’t deliver letters for me– she doesn’t even go outside.”

Cedric straightened and looked around again. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Greylock, but I would have never imagined that you’d be one to keep your workshop this tidy.”

Greylock laughed. “Well, you see, you’re entirely correct; I am terribly disorganized.” Freya realized Cedric wasn’t giving her anymore attention, so she returned to her owner. Greylock scooped her into his arms, holding her rather like a baby. “So I struck up a bargain with one of the maids, Inga– she comes in to clean my workshop every other Thursday afternoon, and in exchange, I play some music for her while she’s here.”

Cedric raised his eyebrows. “Yes, that’s quite clever of you.”

“It is– I think we both look forward to those Thursdays. It’s a nice break in the monotony of our schedules.”

The younger sorcerer blushed a little. “Is there something… more to the bargain?”

Greylock shook his head. “No, except perhaps a nice conversation.”

“It’s just, well… I can’t help but be skeptical that you would have a lady alone in here on a regular basis, and do nothing but play music for her while she cleans.”

The older man guffawed. “Oh, Cedric– No, that’s really all we do. She’s happily married, and often talks about her husband and her two sons. She really does just like music, and I really do just need a hand keeping this place in proper order.”

Cedric was relieved, for some reason. “Ah. I’m sorry for assuming it was anything more.”

Greylock shook his head dismissively. His eyes lit up again. “Oh! I’ve something else to show you– I tried that spell you told me about in your letter. It worked! Come see!” Greylock ushered Cedric over to his desk. 

The younger man followed. On a corner of Greylock’s desk, there were several origami stars of various sizes and colours.

“They’re rather cute, are they not?” Greylock asked. 

“They are, yes. I’m glad it worked.”

“It was Standard Wand Pattern Sigma, by the way. I tried Theta as well, just for fun, and it made this:” with his free hand, Greylock opened a drawer and pulled out what appeared to be a paper throwing star.

Cedric chuckled. “How interesting! I suppose you have a spell to create a low-grade weapon, now, if you’re ever in need of such a thing.”

“Indeed!” Greylock said with a laugh and put the flimsy throwing star back in the drawer. He checked his pocket watch. “Well, it seems there’s still some time before tea… What shall we do?”

Cedric shrugged.

Greylock’s face lit up. “I know! Why don’t I give _you_ a bit of a serenade? A private concert, if you will.”

The younger man smiled. “I’d be honoured.”

Greylock smiled even wider. “Great!” He stooped down to place Freya back on the floor. She then a little reluctant to leave Greylock’s arms. “Just make yourself comfortable at my desk, there,” he said to Cedric. 

Cedric sat down on Greylock’s desk chair, crossing his legs. A couple metres away, Greylock sat down at the piano and rubbed his hands together to warm them. 

“Let’s see, what shall I play for Cedric?” Greylock muttered to himself. “Ah, that’s perfect!” He shuffled some papers around on the music board.

“Alright, prepare to be dazzled!” Greylock said jokingly. He cracked his knuckles before turning to the keyboard. 

His demeanor changed visibly in a split second, his face turning serious in a way Cedric had hardly ever seen before. Greylock lifted his hands to the keyboard and began to play a light waltz. His fingers flitted across the keys in a way that seemed like second nature, easily navigating scales and arpeggios. He was so focused on the music that it was like he became part of it, his body swaying slightly as the tune ebbed and flowed. Greylock looked so different, as he played– there was a vulnerability to him that Cedric had never truly seen. It was as if Greylock’s soul was laid bare, and Cedric was listening to his very heart.

Cedric felt Freya rub against his leg, and he leaned over slightly to pet her, though he found he could not take his eyes off Greylock, even for a moment. Cedric was truly enraptured. The music grew more passionate, swelling to a climax, and Cedric’s heart soared along with the melody. The intensity fell as the song grew quieter, more intimate, the spectacular runs replaced by simple chords that hung, suspended, in the air. It was almost as if Greylock was speaking without words, saying something through the music that he dared not vocalize. It felt like Cedric was privy to something deeply personal, something that perhaps he shouldn’t be allowed to see. He thought again of the maid Greylock had mentioned, and thought of her hearing this, too. How truly scandalous. This was far dirtier than sex, Cedric thought. The way Greylock played was… virile.

The piece ended in this heartfelt manner, and Greylock allowed the final notes to ring out for a long moment before he removed his hands from the keys and his foot from the pedal. 

And just like that, Greylock was back to his usual self. He spun on the piano bench, facing Cedric. “So? What did you think?”

The younger sorcerer was thinking many things, and feeling many things, too. Just when he thought he had Greylock figured out, he had to go and do _that?_ “That was… That was incredible, Greylock. It was beautiful.”

“Oh, shucks,” Greylock said, tucking a bit of hair behind his ear. “Thank you, Cedric.”

“I’ve never seen you so…” he had to choose his words carefully. “Focused.”

Greylock chuckled. “Yes, I tend to become a whole different person when I’m playing.”

“I’ve certainly never heard that song before, either.”

“I should hope not! I wrote it myself!” He looked down. “And I’ve never played it for anyone else before.”

Cedric blushed. _Greylock wrote it?_ So it wasn’t a coincidence that the music seemed so personal… “Wow,” Cedric said. “I’m… Even more impressed, now.”

Greylock tilted his head. “So you liked the piece?”

“Yes, very much!”

“I’m glad to hear that! I…” Greylock trailed off, looking towards the music. He was blushing a little bit. “I wrote it for… Well, I…” he bit his lip. 

Cedric waited patiently for Greylock to continue, but suddenly there was a knock at the door. Greylock shot up to answer it.

“Ah, hello, Greta!” he said. He opened the door fully to allow the servant in. She had a tray with a teapot, two cups, and a small plate of biscuits. “Just set that down on the table, please,” Greylock said. 

“Enjoy, gentlemen,” she said quietly before curtseying and leaving the room.

“Thank you! Have a good afternoon!” Greylock called after her before gently shutting the door. He approached the table. “I hope you like Jasmine tea,” Greylock said to Cedric as he sat down; “it’s my favourite.”

“I’m not picky,” Cedric answered, getting up and joining Greylock across the room. He supposed Greylock was just… not going to tell him whatever it was he had been trying to say.

Greylock poured tea into one of the fine porcelain cups and placed it in front of Cedric before pouring a cup for himself. He added a shocking amount of milk and sugar to his cup. 

Eventually, Greylock thought of something new to talk about, and the two slipped back into easy conversation. They ate their biscuits and drank their tea as they chatted. Cedric almost forgot about the side of Greylock he’d seen at the piano, until he noticed that the other man was staring at him in yet another different way that he’d never seen a person staring at him. Greylock seemed almost irritated by something. Suddenly he stood up and took a couple paces until he was right next to Cedric. 

“I’m sorry, Cedric, but you’ve got something–” Greylock reached down to cup Cedric’s cheek, tilting it up slightly. He dragged his thumb under Cedric’s bottom lip and looked at him again for a moment before releasing him and returning to his seat. 

Cedric blushed, feeling kind of violated.

“Sorry, you had some crumbs that were bothering me.”

It was almost like Cedric had just been kissed. His heart was pounding. “Oh…”

* * *

Around an hour afterwards, Greylock asked at what time Cedric wished to return to Enchancia. Cedric realized he needed to leave soon, and they reluctantly decided to arrange for a coach. 

“Would you like it if I came with you?” Greylock asked.

“I wouldn’t ask you to travel to Enchancia and back twice in one day,” Cedric replied. 

Greylock waved his hand dismissively. “It’s nothing. I don’t mind it at all.”

Cedric smiled. “In that case, I would love for you to join me.”

When the coach pulled up, Greylock opened the door for Cedric and helped him embark as he had before. As they began their journey, everything seemed to be normal– until, about halfway through the flight, Greylock stretched his arms for a moment before lowering them, slyly resting one of his arms on the back of the seat behind Cedric. The younger sorcerer blushed, glancing at the other man with wide eyes. Greylock was looking away, smirking to himself. Cedric opened his mouth to complain, but he realized he didn’t exactly mind. It was a bit chilly up in the sky at this hour, and Greylock’s arm around him was a welcome source of warmth. It was… kind of nice. He looked at Greylock’s shoulder and thought that it seemed rather inviting. He wasn’t thinking at all, really, when he allowed his head to droop onto the other man’s shoulder. It was just as comfortable as he’d imagined. 

Greylock seemed a little surprised by Cedric; for a moment, he froze, not even breathing. But Cedric felt Greylock’s shoulders relax as he exhaled. The older man rested his chin on Cedric’s head, and Cedric felt the sliver of exposed skin on Greylock’s neck touch his forehead. His heart skipped a beat. What were they doing? And why… Why did it feel so _right?_ Why did it feel _exhilarating?_ He couldn’t help but nuzzle in closer, until he felt the slight thrum of Greylock’s pulse against his own skin. And he realized in that moment that Greylock smelled good– really good, in fact. He’d never noticed; well, he’d never been this close to Greylock before, so of course he’d never noticed, but now he couldn’t _help_ but notice. He couldn’t place exactly what Greylock smelled like– was it a cologne, or did Greylock just smell like this naturally? He had no idea, but _oh, Gods…_ Sitting like this was so warm and lovely that Cedric ceased to question himself in that moment, ceased to question why Greylock wasn’t doing anything to stop him. Cedric closed his eyes and simply allowed himself to rest there, grateful for Greylock’s warmth. All the while, there was an odd feeling in his chest– in his heart and at the pit of his stomach. It was a lot like what he’d felt the night of the Royal Jubilee, but he couldn’t blame it on cider and wine. He had no idea how to explain it, really, that this comfortable position was making his heart pound and a strange nervous excitement swirl in his abdomen.

They stayed like that, without speaking, for the rest of the voyage– the coachman be damned. Cedric couldn’t bring himself to care. Only when the coach began its descent did Cedric finally open his eyes and peel himself away from Greylock. It indeed felt very much like he’d been glued to the other man’s side, and it was more difficult than it should have been to move. Greylock looked at him with a dazed and contented expression.

When the coach landed, Greylock got up first, as he had before– though with noticeably less excitement. When he helped Cedric down from the coach, he didn’t let go of Cedric’s hand. 

“Thank you for coming over today, Cedric. I had a lovely time.”

“Thank you for having me, Greylock,” Cedric replied. 

“Have a wonderful evening. And, please, feel free to write to me whenever you want.”

“I will, certainly. Have a safe journey home.”

Greylock brought Cedric’s hand upwards and towards him. “Until we meet again, dear Cedric.” He bowed his head slightly to kiss the back of Cedric’s hand. 

The younger sorcerer blushed profusely. A part of him he didn’t quite want to acknowledge wished he weren’t wearing gloves. “G-good evening, Greylock,” he said as Greylock let him go and returned to the coach. 

“Bye, Cedric!” Greylock waved. Cedric took a couple steps away from the coach and waved in return as the coachman flicked the reins to take off once more. 

Cedric watched the coach fly away. How nice it was to have a friend like Greylock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just having a blast making Cedric as oblivious as possible lol.
> 
> Sorry for making Greylock a music nerd, I'm a music major and I couldn't help it bc Greylock gives me STRONG pianist/violinist/composer vibes. He's probably the only musician who wants to randomly play for others though lmao
> 
> Also Freya is a heckin' chonker of an exotic shorthair. Greylock overfed her and now she's perpetually on a diet but she keeps getting into the damn food. 
> 
> Anyways this marks the end of what I actually had planned for the beginning of the fic. I have plans for the last few chapters, but I have no idea what to put in the middle... I've been delaying publishing this chapter so that I could try to finish chapter 6 first, but I'm just going to leave this here and hopefully I can figure out chapter 6 soon? 
> 
> okay see ya! Thanks for stopping by


	6. I've never been in love before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This and chapter 7 are pretty much just short filler, but I hope they're fun to read anyway!

His visit with Greylock gave Cedric a strange kind of levity, a sort of joie-de-vivre that carried over to the next day. He supposed he really  _ was _ lonely, if spending an afternoon with a friend improved his mood this much. 

He told Wormwood about all the fun he’d had with Greylock, only because he had no one else to tell it to. Even to the raven, he found himself censoring the events slightly, not going into detail about the intimacy of Greylock’s piano playing, or about the way Greylock had touched him during tea, or of how they’d sat on the coach ride home. Something about those events felt private, like they should exist only in Cedric and Greylock’s memories. 

He wondered if Greylock was thinking of him the same way, if their visit had made Greylock just as happy. Imagining Greylock smiling fondly at the thought of him made Cedric kind of giddy. 

Later in the day, Cedric decided to take a walk around the castle grounds to spend some of his excess energy and perhaps clear his mind. He didn’t get very far, however, before he saw Sofia playing with her animal friends. She evidently saw him too, as she waved to him and called “Hello, Mr. Cedric!”. 

“Hello, Princess Sofia!”

She excused herself to her animals and came rushing towards Cedric. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m just taking a walk,” Cedric said. 

“May I come with you?” Sofia asked. 

“If you’d like to, then certainly!” 

“Of course I’d like to! That’s why I asked.”

Cedric smiled. “Alright then.” 

They began to walk along the cobblestone path. Sofia said nothing until they had put some distance between them and the castle. Finally, she piped up: “Mr. Cedric, remember when I asked you if two boys could be in love?”

Cedric blushed. “Yes… What about it?”

“Well, my mom and I had a talk, and she told me that boys can like boys and girls can like girls, but that there are people who don’t think that’s right, and are really mean to the people who like someone of the same gender. And that people who like the same gender have to keep it a secret so that people aren’t mean to them. I think that’s really sad.”

“It is rather unfortunate, yes.”

“So I understand why you lied to me when I asked you about Mr. Greylock. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I want you to know that I think it’s totally fine that you and Mr. Greylock love each other, but I’ll keep it a secret.”

Cedric’s eyes widened. “O-oh, Princess Sofia– Greylock and I don’t  _ love  _ each other. We’re just friends. And that’s the truth. I do… like men, but not Greylock.”

Sofia looked confused. “Really? But I thought…?”

Cedric shook his head. “No- We’re just friends.”

“Why don’t you like Mr. Greylock?”

“Well, I like him very much as a friend, but I don’t like him in… a romantic way.”

“But Mr. Greylock  _ does _ like you in a romantic way, doesn’t he?” 

Cedric blushed darker. “What?! No, whatever makes you think that?”

“The way he looked at you at the Royal Jubilee! It was  _ just _ like the way Sir Bartleby looked at my Aunt Tilly!”

“You told me, yes. But I think you must be mistaken.”

Sofia sighed. “But wouldn’t it be sad if Mr. Greylock was in love with you and you didn’t love him back?”

“Yes, that would be sad. But that happens to people all the time– It’s just part of life, I’m afraid. But we needn’t worry about that; Greylock has no such feelings for me, I assure you.” 

Sofia frowned. “Are you  _ sure  _ you don’t love him?”

Cedric chuckled. “Yes, I’m quite sure.”

“How do you know when you’re in love?”

Cedric opened his mouth, but shut it again. “I mean… I’ve never really been in love before, so I can’t exactly answer that.”

“Then how do you know you’re not in love with Mr. Greylock?”

“Well, I…” Cedric decided to humour her. “Well, I suppose I  _ don’t  _ know for sure, then, do I?” 

Sofia giggled. “That would be  _ so  _ exciting if you and Mr. Greylock loved each other!” 

The sorcerer had no idea why Sofia was so invested in this pretend relationship, but it was a little bit charming, he had to admit. 

* * *

_ 25 years prior _

_ Cedric was hastening to his enchanted literature class, already running late. He wasn’t exactly watching where he was going– this was a mistake.  _

_ “Where are you going in such a rush, Cedric?”  _

_ The boy’s eyes widened. It was Arthur, an 11th-year boy who was notorious for cutting class and tormenting younger students. Several of his friends stood around him, snickering. Cedric pressed on.  _

“Sliperino!”  _ shouted Arthur, and suddenly the floor under Cedric’s feet became like a skating rink. He fell onto his rear, his books dropping everywhere.  _

_ The older kids erupted in laughter. They stayed for a moment before they walked away, still cackling.  _

_ Cedric sat there, his butt bruised as much as his ego. What was wrong with these idiots? Did they have nothing better to do at all than pick on innocent younger students? He heard footsteps, and then suddenly, someone was crouching next to him.  _

“Reverso,”  _ came a familiar voice, and the floor returned to normal. Cedric glanced to see who it was, and he was shocked to see Greylock collecting his books for him. _

_ “I’m sorry,” Greylock muttered.  _

_ “If you were really sorry, you would have stopped your  _ ‘friend’ _ from casting that spell,” Cedric spat.  _

_ Greylock bit his lip. “I know… I–” _

_ “–Greylock, where are you?” Arthur called. “You’re not trying to help that loser, are you?” _

_ Cedric watched Greylock turn pale. He shoved the stack of books into Cedric’s arms. “Of course not! I’m just– I’m just–” Greylock stood quickly. “I’m coming!” he said, slinking off.  _

_ Cedric stood, his body aching. What a coward– Greylock couldn’t decide whether he wanted to be a bully or not. He couldn’t go along with Arthur’s trick, but he couldn’t stand up to the older boy, either. Cedric realized he might be a loser, but at least he wasn’t Greylock. _

* * *

That evening, Cedric was reading up on transformation potions when he heard a knock at his door. 

“Mr. Cedric? Can I come in?” It was Sofia.

Cedric sighed. “I suppose,” he answered. 

The child opened the door and rushed inside. 

“What is it, Princess?” he asked, turning to face her.

“I asked my mom and my dad how they knew they loved each other,” Sofia started eagerly, “and they told me there were lots of reasons!”

Cedric tried not to roll his eyes. “Oh?”

“Well, they both said that when they first looked at each other, it was like time stopped when they saw each other, and they had butterflies in their stomachs! Did you have that when you first saw Mr. Greylock?”

“No– though I was six years old and he was eight. That’s a little young to be falling in love.”

“Hmm, that’s true,” Sofia thought. “But they said they got butterflies when they looked at each other for a while, or when they thought about each other…?”

Cedric shook his head. “No, I don’t feel that.” Sofia was frowning. “Though, I suppose I do get rather happy when I see Greylock, or when I think of him,” he added. 

“Do you feel warm and light and like nothing is in the whole world but you and him?”

The sorcerer blushed. “Why… Uh… Sometimes, yes. But that’s just… being happy, right? Like when you’re with a friend.”

Sofia cocked her head to the side. “Uh… No?”

Cedric blushed. “It’s… not?”

“At least not for me, no,” Sofia said.

“Oh…” 

“And does Mr. Greylock make you feel super special? And does your heart beat super fast when you’re with him?”

Cedric blinked. “Uh… Hmm… Perhaps?” He didn’t want to say yes, lest it contribute to Sofia’s theory that he loved Greylock. 

Sofia giggled. “Mr. Cedric, I think you might be in love!”

Cedric laughed in return. “Oh, Sofia, that’s nonsense! Just because I’m happy to be friends with Greylock doesn’t mean I’m _in_ _love_ with him.”

“Well, if that’s what you think!” She looked at him a little longer before she realized Cedric wasn’t saying anything more. “Well, I’m going to get ready for bed. Goodnight, Mr. Cedric!”

“Goodnight, Princess!” Cedric replied, turning back to his desk. When he heard his workshop door close, he let out a sigh. 

Wormwood squawked, ruffling his feathers. “Wormy, I have no idea what that Princess is on about. She seems to think that Greylock and I would be the perfect couple, and that we’re both harbouring secret feelings for each other!”

The raven cawed. 

“I know, it’s preposterous! Can’t two people just be friends without someone  _ insisting  _ that there must be something more?” He scoffed. “I certainly hope the coachman who flew us back to Enchancia doesn’t have a mind like that; Greylock had his arm around me for much of the journey, and I was resting on his shoulder. I’m sure  _ that  _ means we’re in love, too?” 

Wormwood blinked at him. 

“I’m sure some would say that the fact that we walked together in the gardens and had tea together is proof enough that we have some kind of liaison. Or the fact that he played the piano for me. Me might as well have had sex.” He shot Wormwood a look. “Which we didn’t, and never will, because we are only friends.” The bird seemed to shake his head. 

Cedric grumbled to himself, looking back at his book. Sex with Greylock– now that would be incredibly strange. He couldn’t imagine that Greylock would be particularly good at it. He would probably make it into some bizarre joke, or he wouldn’t be able to keep himself focused and serious for long enough. 

Unless of course, Greylock made love with the same focus and care with which he played music. If he had that level of passion and openness in the bedroom, Cedric could imagine it would be quite enjoyable, for his partners. 

For his  _ female  _ partners. 

Yes, he could imagine that women would quite enjoy Greylock, if they could stand his prankishness and his odd sense of humour for long enough to go to bed with him. Greylock had gentle hands and soft features and a warmth about him… He’d probably be quite good at kissing, too. Cedric didn’t know why, but something about Greylock gave that impression. Cedric recalled that his own sister had once had a rather short-lived crush on Greylock, back at Hexley Hall– perhaps she had seen such things in Greylock, too, back then. 

Indeed, perhaps Greylock could be romantic. Cedric could easily imagine Greylock pressing a lady against the wall of his workshop, kissing her passionately as his hands wandered over her body before settling firmly on her waist. 

This image grew more lively in his mind, and slowly, gradually, the nameless woman transformed into Cedric himself, and he imagined  _ himself _ pressed against the wall, snogging Greylock as if his very life depended on it. He thought of Greylock pulling away to fix him with his soft hazel eyes and that contented, glazed-over look…

Merlin’s mushrooms, why on earth was Cedric thinking about that?! The power of suggestion, he supposed, was getting to him– Because he didn’t want that, truly. He didn’t want to kiss Greylock, or be held against the wall by Greylock as they felt each others’ bodies and embraced with a blistering fervour… They were only  _ friends _ . They were only friends and they were never going to be more than friends because Greylock did not like men, and, more importantly,  _ Cedric did not like Greylock.  _

Cedric tried his damndest to not think about Greylock for the rest of the night, especially not once he was in bed. As Cedric lay there in his undergarments, he avoided imagining that Greylock was in bed with him, spooning him. He didn’t think about how warm Greylock would be, or how nice it would feel if Greylock held him in his arms. He certainly didn’t imagine Greylock kissing his neck or his ear or his head from that position, and he most definitely didn’t think of turning around to nuzzle into Greylock’s chest, his scent and his warmth and the comfort of his arms compelling Cedric to drift off into a pleasant sleep. Cedric did not spend so much as a moment pondering any of those things. Of course he didn’t– why would he? He didn’t have feelings for Greylock.

* * *

_ 25 years prior  _

_ Cedric was in his bedroom, reading a horror story he’d just picked out from the library. He wished he could read it in peace and quiet, but in the room next door, his older sister Cordelia was having a slumber party with three of her loudest, giggliest friends. They had been talking and laughing ever since they came… Couldn’t they just be silent for once? _

_ “So… who do you girls think is the cutest boy in our year?” asked one of Cordy’s friends, Amelia.  _

_ They erupted in giggles. “You go first!” Cordy retorted. _

_ More giggles. “Okay!” Amelia said. “I think… I think Alistair is the cutest!” _

_ The other girls gasped. “Really?” asked another friend, Prudence. “But he’s so… weird.” _

_ “No, he’s dreamy!” Amelia contested.  _

_ “I think he’s kind of cute, too,” said the other girl, Gwen. “But Harry is cuter!” _

_ “Not true!” _

_ “It is true!” _

_ “But Benedict is the cutest!” exclaimed Prudence. “Remember when he was reading that monologue in drama class? I think I fell in love a little…” _

_ “Cordelia, who do you think is the cutest?” asked Gwen.  _

_ “Umm…” Cordelia trailed off. “I… I don’t want to say…” _

_ “Why not? Do you have a crush, Cordy?”  _

_ The other girls giggled.  _

_ “... Maybe.” _

_ “You have to tell us!” _

_ “Yeah, Cordy, tell us!” _

_ Cordelia sighed. “Okay. I… I kinda have a crush on Greylock…” _

_ The girls gasped, and Cedric’s eyes widened. No, not Greylock, out of all people! _

_ “He’s a really good friend,” admitted Prudence. “And I guess I could see how you might like him.” _

_ “I didn’t think he’d be your type, though, Cordy,” said Amelia.  _

_ “I didn’t think so, either, but if you look past all his pranks, he’s really nice… And I heard him play violin in music class, and he was so good!” she sighed. “And we’ve been talking more, recently. Which my brother really doesn’t like, because he hates Greylock for some reason. But I think… maybe he likes me back?” _

_ Her friends gasped and giggled once again. “Really?” _

_ “Yeah, I mean… He talks to me all the time, and he even wants to make Cedric stop hating him… Why would he care about what Cedric thought about him unless he wanted to date me?” _

_ “Oh my gosh, you’re so right!” said Amelia.  _

_ “Yeah, he wants to make your family like him, too! That’s so sweet!” agreed Prudence.  _

_ Cedric gritted his teeth. This would not do. His sister could not be in a relationship with the most irritating, immature prick alive. He grumbled as he listened to the girls gossip and gush about Greylock and Cordelia, and he knew he had to do something about it.  _

_ When Monday came, Cedric came to school on a mission. He needed to find Greylock and give him a piece of his mind. When he saw the boy in question making his way down the hallway, he cornered him.  _

_ “Greylock, I need to talk to you,” Cedric said sternly.  _

_ Greylock looked surprised. “Oh? What about?” _

_ “I’ve heard about your little crush.” _

_ The older boy turned white as a sheet, then slowly blushed bright red. “Oh, G-gods, Cedric, I… Who told you? H-how did you find out?” _

_ Cedric smirked. He’d caught Greylock red-handed. “I overheard my sister and her friends talking about you last night.” _

_ Greylock seemed panicked. “C-Cordelia? How did she know? A-and who did she tell? Who was there?” _

_ “Just a few of her friends. And she knows because you keep talking to her! And I want you to stop it!” _

_ Greylock stepped back a little. “I won’t. I–” he looked panicked. “What did she say, exactly? Was she sure about it? What did her friends say?!” _

_ Cedric was not expecting such a strong reaction. Perhaps Cedric was more intimidating than he realized. “None of them know for sure. They just thought that you liked her, because you keep talking to her, and you want to get on my good side so that you can date her.” He stepped closer to Greylock, pointing a finger at him. “But I won’t allow it! You don’t deserve to date my sister!” _

_ The older boy looked confused. “Date… your sister?”  _

_ “Yes, you dolt! That’s what we’ve been talking about this whole time!” _

_ Greylock blinked. “Oh… Oh, dear, Cedric, I– I misunderstood you earlier. I… I don’t have a crush on Cordelia.” _

_ Cedric was baffled. “What…? But you admitted it, just now!” _

_ Greylock shook his head. “No, I... I thought you knew…?” He adjusted his glasses. _

_ “Knew what?” _

_ “Who I… Who I like. I didn’t realize you thought I liked Cordy!” _

_ “So you… don’t like Cordy?” _

_ Greylock shook his head again. “No. We’re only friends. I have no other intentions with her, I assure you.” _

_ “So who do you like, then, if not my sister?”  _

_ “You don’t know?” _

_ “Apparently not.” _

_ “You don’t have a clue?” _

_ “No.” _

_ “Not even a guess?” _

_ “No, Greylock, I don’t!”  _

_ Greylock was obviously relieved. “Good. I’d like to keep it that way.” _

_ Cedric turned up his nose. “Fine. As long as it’s not my sister, I don’t care.” _

_ Greylock smiled awkwardly. “Well… Nice chat, Cecil!” he said, and rushed off.  _

_ Cedric sighed. Well, at least he didn’t have to worry about Cordelia dating that fool.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly forgot Cordelia existed until I was writing this chapter and I realized I could integrate her into the story so I'm going to do that now lol. I'm not sure if she will make an in-person appearance, but she'll definitely be in memories at least. 
> 
> Inconsequential headcanon: Greylock only has one bad eye, but he wore glasses for the longest time because everyone was like "you can't wear a monocle, that's stupid" but then he grew up and started wearing a monocle like "fuck you, I do what I want". So baby Greylock in these memories has big ol' Harry Potter-type glasses.
> 
> Cedric: I know who you like  
> Greylock: panik  
> Cedric: And I won't let you date my sister  
> Greylock: kalm


	7. I'm full of foolish song

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another filler chapter before things actually happen!

Cedric was woken up on Monday morning in the usual manner, with a knock at the door. He threw his robe on over his undergarments and climbed down the ladder to get the door. When he opened it, he saw the usual covered tray of food outside the door, but next to it, there was an unexpected addition: a small box. Cedric was not expecting anything, but… He thought perhaps he knew the origin of the parcel. 

He excitedly brought the tray and the box inside, and immediately opened the box. He was pleased to see that in the box was an origami swan. Greylock– he knew it! His heart leapt with excitement. He quickly unfolded the swan, careful not to rip it. Once he finally had the letter flat, he began to read:

> _ Dearest Cedric,  _
> 
> _ I had no particular reason to send you a letter, but I was thinking of you and I saw no reason not to write to you as well. _
> 
> _ I had such a lovely time with you on Friday. I wish we could see each other more often– it’s truly a shame that you’re all the way in Enchancia– or that I’m all the way here in Rudistan, I suppose. And King Magnus keeps me busy most every day, as I’ve lamented to you before. I suppose we are doomed to see each other only through our words, for the most part. Hmm, that sounded rather poetic… Maybe I’ll save that line for later.  _
> 
> _ Anyway, things have settled here in Rudistan. Slickwell’s reign of terror is ancient history, and everyone is getting used to Kristoffer’s way of doing things. In fact, all the servants are quite fond of Kristoffer. He’s a rather charismatic leader, and spends time getting to know everyone. I’d like to think I’m friends with him, too– we talk sometimes, and we get along quite well. _

Cedric frowned. He didn’t like this– why was he so close with Kristoffer? Something bothered him about the whole thing. 

> _ How are you, Cedric? How’s Wormwood? Anything interesting happening in Enchancia? How’s the Royal Family treating you? Tell me about anything! _
> 
> _ I unfortunately don’t have anything else to say at the moment. I wish I could write you a long letter full of interesting stories, but alas, my life is rather humdrum. I hope to hear from you soon! _
> 
> _ Yours sincerely, _ _   
>  _ _ G. the G.  _

Cedric also wished that Greylock had more to say, though he understood that a life of making a King’s wishes come true wasn’t full of engaging tales. He wasn’t sure what he could say in his reply to the other man.

After finishing his breakfast, Cedric got out a parchment and began to try to write something to Greylock. 

Eventually, he came up with enough words to fill a page:

> _ Dear Greylock, _
> 
> _ Thank you for your letter; it was lovely to hear from you. I had a great time on Friday as well. It was wonderful to be out of my workshop for an afternoon. I also wish we could see each other more often– I hope another opportunity will arise soon.  _
> 
> _ I’m glad that Kristoffer is still doing a better job than Slickwell. Though that isn’t much of an accomplishment on his part… And besides, even the best butlers are questionable as friends. Baileywick is horribly nosy, though I will admit he’s selfless and very reliable.  _
> 
> _ Well, unfortunately, my life has been rather dull as of late, as well. I am doing fine, and so is Wormwood. The royal family seems to be perfectly well, too, though I only ever hear from King Roland and Princess Sofia, most of the time. Roland has been treating me a little better since you and I saved his life, it seems! And Sofia is doing superbly– she’s excelling in school, as I’m sure you can imagine. She still comes to me for help with her sorcery class, but I could swear she’s a natural at magic, rather like you. She would make a fine sorceress, if she wasn’t already destined to be a duchess or baroness or a bride in a politically motivated wedding, or whatever princesses who aren’t in line for the throne end up becoming. _
> 
> _ There is one interesting thing I can tell you about– I’ve been trying to expand my repertoire of spells by reading old books I find in the castle’s library. I’ve come across some fascinating examples– lots of primitive healing spells and potions, and incredibly outdated enchanted science. I’m sure you remember hearing about these things in school, but reading about it firsthand is an entirely different experience. It’s almost amusing that we used to think that blood-letting was the cure for all ailments, and that the Earth was the center of the universe. It’s amazing how much our understanding of the world we live in has progressed. I’m sure in a couple hundred years, our descendents will look at us and be baffled, as well.  _
> 
> _ I also found a rather, well… interesting book about spells to use “in the bedroom”, if you will. It gave me quite a laugh, especially the diagrams. _
> 
> _ Well, that’s all for now.  _
> 
> _ Until next time,  _ _   
>  _ _ Cedric  _

Cedric rolled up the parchment and secured it with a ribbon as he had the last time. He turned to his raven familiar. 

“Wormy, are you up for delivering a letter?”

Wormwood cawed softly in a way that seemed almost like a sigh. 

“Please?” Cedric held out the parchment.

The corvid finally took flight and grabbed onto the letter with his talons. Cedric rushed to open the window. 

“Thank you ever so much, Wormy!” Cedric called after him.

With that done, Cedric finally started to get dressed and ready for the day. 

* * *

_ 26 years prior _

_ Once Cedric got home from school, he went straight to his bedroom to flop onto his bed, as usual. However, something was unusual– as he went down the hall, he could hear his sister sobbing hysterically in her bedroom. Frowning, he approached her door and knocked.  _

_ “Cordy? What’s wrong?” he asked. _

_ “Go away, Cedric!” Cordelia replied through her tears.  _

_ “But–” _

_ “–I said go away!” she interrupted.  _

_ “What happened?” _

_ “You wouldn’t understand!” _

_ Greylock looked at the ground. “I don’t like it when you do this.” _

_ “Can I not have any privacy?” _

_ “If you want privacy, then stop crying so loudly!” _

_ Cordelia groaned in exasperation. She stomped to the door and flung it open. Tears were streaming down her face. “Fine! You want to know why I’m so upset?” she asked angrily.  _

_ Cedric flinched. Perhaps he didn’t, after all? _

_ “Because Greylock told me that he didn’t like me back!” Cordelia began sobbing anew. _

_ Cedric felt a pang of guilt. In all his (admittedly selfish) desire to keep Greylock from dating Cordelia, he’d failed to consider how it might hurt her… To be fair, though, he didn’t realize Greylock would immediately break the news to her.  _

_ “Oh, Cordy, I’m so sorry,” he said. He had more genuine compassion in his apology than he was expecting.  _

_ “And you know what that means, right? One of my so-called ‘best friends’  _ betrayed _ me and told Greylock that I liked him!” _

_ Cedric’s eyes widened. Oh, no. “A-are you sure? Perhaps maybe he just realized it on his own?” _

_ She shook her head. “I don’t think so.” New tears welled up in her eyes. “Why can nothing ever go right for me?!” she slammed the door in Cedric’s face and resumed her hysterical weeping.  _

_ The boy blinked at the closed door for a moment. He felt awful, really. But he couldn’t tell Cordelia that he was the guilty one– it would put more strain on their already damaged relationship. Cedric retreated, regretful, to his own bedroom.  _

* * *

A few hours later, Cedric was startled out of his readings by a distant caw. He smiled. Wormwood was back! 

Soon enough, the raven swooped in the window and dropped something onto Cedric’s desk. Wormwood settled onto his perch. 

Cedric realized what it was that Wormy had brought him. Greylock had written back, just as he’d hoped! 

“Thank you, Wormy! What would I do without you?” Cedric said to his raven, affectionately patting his head. Wormwood squawked.

Cedric unrolled the letter, and realized it comprised a fair number of pages. However, only one of them had conventional writing on it; the rest was sheet music. Curious, he began to read the letter. 

> _ My dear Cedric, _
> 
> _ I’m overjoyed to hear from you again so quickly! And I was pleased to see Wormwood– His arrival was much less ominous this time, and Freya was less spooked as well. Perhaps she remembers him. _
> 
> _ I’m glad to hear that things are well in Enchancia. And your reading of old spellbooks sounds fascinating! I would love to see that, uh, bedroom spell book– sounds like a barrel of laughs!  _
> 
> _ You may have already noticed that I sent you some sheet music, and you may be wondering why. The truth is, I have a bit of a confession to make… The song you heard me play on Friday, I wrote it for you. _

Cedric’s eyes widened. Really?

> _ I was a bit embarrassed to tell you, but there you are. I know we’ve only been seeing each other like this for a short period of time, and perhaps it’s a little silly of me to already be writing songs for you, but… Well. I wrote this piece of music while reminiscing on the Royal Jubilee, and I thought that I should tell you that. And I thought you should have a copy. I know you can’t play it, but it is for you… Ah, you can tell I’m rushing to get my thoughts out. I should have done this earlier, so I wouldn’t have Wormwood breathing down my neck… In any case, I just thought you should have this music. _
> 
> _ Devotedly yours, _ _   
>  _ _ G. the G.  _

The sorcerer turned his attention back to the pages of music. At the top of the page, he read the title “Waltz for Cedric”, penned in a more careful version of Greylock’s habitual handwriting. The music itself was inked carefully and precisely, with not a single smudge or error to be seen. Though Cedric could barely remember how to read music, and he could certainly not mentally reconstruct how these notes would sound, he could remember parts of the song Greylock had played for him. 

Most of all, he remembered the passion with which Greylock had brought this music to life, the intimacy in his performance. 

It was  _ written for Cedric.  _ Cedric wished he knew what this music was meant to express, if it was indeed meant to sound so heartfelt and… rather romantic. 

Or was this just Greylock’s style? Did all his pieces come out like love songs? Entirely possible. Perhaps this was why he was so embarrassed about telling Cedric it was written for him. He didn’t want Cedric to think it was some grand confession, and he knew how his music tended to sound. He wondered why Greylock didn’t specify this in his letter– usually straight men will never stop insisting that whatever they have done is completely heterosexual. He supposed Greylock trusted that Cedric wouldn’t think such a thing to begin with– Greylock liked women, and Cedric knew this. He’d been deeply in love with that girl Prudence throughout his teenage years.

He still felt rather confused, but also incredibly flattered. This was quite the gesture of friendship, and Cedric knew he’d hold this score dearly.

* * *

_ 25 years prior _

_ It was rather late to still be at school. It was nearly 6 o’clock, but Cedric had been unable to put down a book he’d found in the library. Now that he’d finished it, he realized he should probably do what he’d come here to do – return the books he’d borrowed for his enchanted science report – and be on his way home.  _

_ He replaced the finished novella on the shelf and made his way to the librarian’s desk. Thankfully, she hadn’t gone home yet, and Cedric was able to return his books. They chatted for a bit, as she was quite fond of bookish students like Cedric, before he proceeded to the library’s back exit.  _

_ As Cedric made his way out, he began to hear something quite odd. It was muffled and he still wasn’t near its source, so he couldn’t tell what he was hearing. Was there someone else here? Always possible. Cedric wasn’t the only one who hung around the library long after the end of the school day.  _

_ He kept walking, and eventually he realized with a sinking feeling that what he was hearing was someone crying. Cedric’s heart ached with sympathy. He’d certainly cried in this library before, many times, when he failed a particularly difficult sorcery test or when someone’s teasing hit a little too close to home.  _

_ Cedric walked quietly towards the back exit, hoping that whoever it was wouldn’t be startled or embarrassed by another student being present while they let out their emotions. Then, he spotted a teenage boy slumped at a table full of open books, sobbing.  _

_ “I’m so stupid, why am I so stupid?” the boy muttered to himself tearfully. He began banging his head against the table, repeating “stupid” with each time his forehead hit the hard surface.  _

_ Cedric cringed. The books on the table were for 11th year enchanted science. Cedric was only in ninth year, but he’d read ahead to the point where he was fairly confident that he understood this material. Part of him wanted to help the boy, but he also didn’t want to embarrass him…  _

_ The boy lifted his head from the table to wipe his eyes with the sleeve of his uniform robe, and Cedric’s eyes widened. Though it was hard to tell, with his glasses off and his eyes being all red and puffy– this was most certainly Greylock. Now all thoughts of helping the boy were squashed. Greylock deserved to feel stupid, after how he’d treated Cedric.  _

_ Greylock started sobbing anew. “I’ll never be a sorcerer,” he lamented. _

_ Cedric frowned. No, he couldn’t feel vindicated at Greylock’s pain, not when he himself had felt the same way, so many times. Cedric was booksmart, and he excelled at enchanted science, the history of magic, mathematics, theoretical alchemy, geography, enchanted literature… Everything that didn’t involve him waving a wand. Greylock was the opposite: the boy was a natural spellcaster and potionmaker, but he struggled horribly through academics. And Cedric couldn’t laugh at his struggles. Especially not as Greylock cried his eyes out there in that library, sobbing with heart-wrenching despair. _

_ Cedric quickly left the library, not wanting Greylock to see him staring. He couldn’t imagine how much it would hurt Greylock if he knew that Cedric had seen him like that.  _

_ The younger boy didn’t know why he cared if he hurt Greylock. He supposed that seeing Greylock be vulnerable for once humanized him in Cedric’s eyes. He’d suddenly become more than just a fun-loving prankster and a tormentor. He was a real person with real feelings and real problems, and it was harder to hate him now. Cedric knew he’d never be able to see Greylock in quite the same light ever again. _

* * *

The next night, it stormed. Cedric hadn’t been scared of thunderstorms since he was a young child, but now that he lived in a workshop in a rather exposed tower, he certainly found it difficult to sleep through all the racket.

Cedric lay awake, staring at the window, watching the rain pelt the glass and slide down. He knew he would be awake for some time, so he tried to occupy his mind. 

Of course, his thoughts soon turned to Greylock. He wondered if the weather was just as bad in Rudistan, or if it was a quiet and peaceful night there. He wondered if Greylock was sleeping soundly, perhaps with Freya curled up on his bed– or if Greylock was wide awake, too. Maybe Greylock was thinking of him. 

Cedric couldn’t explain why, but he felt unsettled. Something in the pit of his stomach told him all was not well. But why? The storm wasn’t that bad. There was nothing amiss in the castle, and things had been stable in Enchancia for as long as Cedric could remember. Cedric wanted to ignore it, but his mother had raised him to always trust his gut.

He sat up in bed and looked around the workshop. Nothing was out of place– well, technically, many things were out of place, but that was completely normal. Wormwood seemed completely fine, too– he was roosting on his perch, fast asleep. He’d been healthy, happy, eating well… It couldn’t be Wormy.

Cedric wondered if his parents were alright; maybe something was wrong in his family. He’d just spoken to his mother the previous week, and all was well… And if anything was wrong at all, his parents could come through the enchanted painting at any time to speak to him. Perhaps it was Cordelia, or her daughter? He supposed he hadn’t heard from his sister or niece in some time… He’d have to write to Cordy the next day to check in on them. But if there had been some kind of horrible family tragedy, he’d have heard from his parents, he was sure. He could also speak to his mother come morning to make sure she and his father were alright.

What else could it possibly be? Was something sinister brewing in the castle? Was Miss Nettle sneaking her way back into Enchancia in some novel disguise? Was there yet another new threat advancing on the castle?

Was it Greylock who was in trouble? That seemed so unlikely– they had written to each other the previous day, and Greylock had said that everything was fine. Surely that was still the case? What could have possibly changed so quickly? 

Eventually, Cedric fell asleep, though he did not find it particularly restful. The sense of unease prevailed as he slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Eventually, he came up with enough words to fill a page" was me trying to complete this chapter lmao
> 
> Okay, fair warning: shit's about to go down in the next chapter. Like it's about to take a TURN. I set out to write a slow burn piece of fluff but I realized I needed a plot device that would force Greylock and Cedric to be in the same place for an extended period of time and uh for some reason all I came up with was something super angsty & dramatic? so yeah


	8. I thought my heart was safe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I'm so sorry but this chapter is angsty and dramatic and doesn't exactly fit the tone of the rest of the fic, but uhhhh here it is! 
> 
> CW for this chapter: "off-screen" trauma and general angsty stress. It gets resolved within this chapter though!

The next morning, Cedric ate his breakfast quickly so that he could assuage his disquietude with a stroll around the castle. Nothing was amiss– there was no damage from the storm aside from some broken tree branches. The guards and servants all seemed calm. 

When Cedric returned to his workshop, he spoke to his mother about his gut feeling the night before. She assured him that she and his father were perfectly fine, and that they had not heard any ill news from Cordelia or Calista. 

Cedric felt a lot better after this. He wrote a letter to his sister nonetheless, and sent a reluctant Wormwood to deliver it. In fact, Cedric almost forgot about his uneasiness, especially once his raven returned safe and sound some time later. Wormwood wasn’t carrying a letter from Cordelia, but Cedric hadn’t expected his sister to reply with any speed. The fact that she’d taken the letter from Wormwood was almost surprising. 

That evening, Cedric heard a knock at his door. 

“Yes? Who is it?”

“There’s a letter for you, sir,” called the visitor. 

“Coming!” Had Cordelia already replied? How had the letter gotten to him so quickly? Cedric opened the door and took an envelope from the servant, thanking him. The man bowed and walked back down the hall. 

Cedric pushed the door closed and opened the letter as he walked to his desk. He knew as soon as he opened the letter that it was not his sister’s handwriting.

> _ Cedric, _
> 
> _ This is Greylock. I don’t want to alarm you, but I believe something terrible is about to happen in Rudistan.  _
> 
> _ I don’t have much time to explain, and I really don’t understand what is going on, but I know this isn’t good. Kristoffer just came to my workshop and told me “Greylock, you’ve been good to me and the other servants. In fifteen minutes, there will be a coach waiting to bring you out of the castle grounds. I suggest you take it.” I, of course, asked him to clarify, but he only told me very firmly that I needed to leave right now, and this would be my only chance. I asked him if I could send a letter, and he told me to hurry up and that he would be reading whatever I wrote.  _
> 
> _ I don’t know where I’m being taken. I’m so scared. I can only hope this letter gets to you.  _
> 
> _ I hope this isn’t goodbye forever, but if it is… I hope you know how much you meant to me, Cedric. _
> 
> _ Yours,  _ _   
>  _ _ Greylock _

Cedric’s eyes widened and he felt the blood rush out of his face.  _ No.  _ This couldn’t be… Everything was fine; Greylock had just told him that everything was fine! But now it wasn’t. It was everything  _ but _ fine, obviously, and Cedric had no idea what to do. 

He had to tell King Roland. There was something awful happening in Rudistan, and he knew it wasn’t just Greylock who would be affected. 

Cedric bolted out of his workshop and through the halls towards the throne room. He was out of breath, but he didn’t pause for so much as a moment. As he approached the entrance, he almost collided with Baileywick, who was leaving the throne room through the same doors. Cedric skidded to a halt, and Baileywick jumped out of the way, shocked. 

“Cedric, what on Earth–?!”

“–I need to speak to King Roland,” Cedric interrupted. “Right now. It’s very urgent.”

“The royal family is having dinner. Can’t it wait?”

Cedric gritted his teeth. He opened his mouth to explain, but he shoved Greylock’s letter towards Baileywick instead. “Does this look like it can wait?!”

Baileywick took the letter and adjusted his glasses as he began to read. Cedric panted, watching the steward’s expression shift from confusion to alarm as he read Greylock’s account. 

“Kristoffer is the new castle steward, Slickwell’s replacement,” Cedric explained.

“Oh, dear,” the butler said at last. “Cedric, I’m– I’m so sorry, I don’t know what to say–”

“Will you let me speak to the King, then?”

“I know Greylock is in danger, but… This is unfortunately out of King Roland’s hands.”

“This looks like mutiny!” Cedric said, panic rising. “It’s not  _ just  _ about Greylock! Who knows how many people’s lives are at stake?!”

“I know, Cedric, but it’s not that easy. The King of Enchancia cannot meddle in Rudistan’s affairs.”

Cedric knew Baileywick was right, but he did not want to accept it. “So you think I should just ignore this, then? And not tell the King that a nearby kingdom is about to experience some kind of insurrection? And that my best friend might die?!”

Baileywick looked down. “Cedric–”

“Greylock could already be dying _ , _ ” he said, not aware of how loud he was. He felt a lump in his throat that he couldn’t swallow down. “He could be  _ dead,  _ Baileywick, and you think we shouldn’t disturb the King’s dinner? You think his life is that inconsequential? Shame on you!” 

Cedric felt hot tears well up in his eyes. Baileywick’s face was unreadable. 

Suddenly, the door to the throne room swung open. 

“What in the blazes is going on out here?!” King Roland asked, his tone a mix of worry and annoyance. 

“I am so, so sorry, King Roland,” Baileywick said quietly. 

“Of course you are,” Cedric said exasperatedly. “And I suppose I should be sorry, too, for making a scene?!”

King Roland looked to Cedric, who was irate and on the verge of tears. “Cedric? Is something wrong?”

“Yes– very, very, wrong,” Cedric said. 

Queen Miranda approached King Roland, peering around his shoulder. King Roland took her hand and led her out into the hall. He gently shut the door behind them, leaving the children inside. 

“What is it, then?” the King asked. 

Baileywick handed the letter to King Roland, and he began to read it. The King lowered it so his wife could read as well. 

Cedric looked away, trying to blink the tears out of his eyes. He wiped his face with the sleeve of his robe. 

“Oh my goodness,” Queen Miranda said quietly. 

“And this is Greylock the Grand, I presume? Rudistan’s royal sorcerer?” King Roland asked. 

Cedric nodded. 

“And this Kristoffer...?”

“The new castle steward after Slickwell,” Baileywick said. 

“This is… This looks like mutiny within the castle. Kristoffer wanted Greylock to leave so he wouldn’t be harmed protecting King Magnus,” Roland said. 

“Can you do anything?” Cedric asked, his voice strained. 

King Roland sighed. “I’m afraid not, Cedric. I can’t interfere with the politics of another kingdom unless I’m directly asked. If I sent Enchancian troops to Rudistan, even just to find Greylock, that could be considered an act of war, especially if– Gods forbid– King Magnus is overthrown.”

Cedric looked down. “So… You’re going to do nothing, your Majesty,” he said defeatedly, no question in his tone.

“I can’t take any direct action now. But I will inform my generals to be on guard. I imagine that King Magnus will send for help from nearby kingdoms as soon as possible. And if he does, I can assure you that I will have knights on their way in that instant.”

Cedric nodded, his lip quivering. “I… Thank you, sire.”

“Cedric, I’m so sorry about Greylock,” Queen Miranda said gently, approaching the sorcerer. “I know you two are very close, and I can only imagine how scared you are for him.”

“Yes, I–” He could no longer hold back his tears. “Oh, Gods, if something happens to him, I’ll never be able to forgive myself!” Cedric began to sob, turning away. “I-I’m so sorry, your Majesties–” 

“You two go back inside. I’ll stay with Cedric,” Queen Miranda said quietly to the two other men. Cedric felt a hand touch his shoulder. 

“Cedric, let’s go sit down,” she said to him in her most motherly tone. The Queen led him to a couple of chairs in the hallway, and the two of them sat down. “I really am sorry, Cedric. I hope you know that King Roland and I both wish we could do something to help Greylock. And as soon as we get any word from Rudistan, we will do our best to make sure he and everyone else in the Kingdom are safe.”

Cedric nodded. “I know, it’s just… Where could they have taken him? What if they tricked him, and they’re taking him to be locked up, or– or worse? Who even  _ is  _ taking him?”

Queen Miranda sighed. “I can’t say, but I do know that Greylock is a very likeable person. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to do him harm. I would think that Kristoffer arranged him to be taken to a safe place far away from whatever is going on in the castle. Maybe they took him into town.”

“I just hope he’s safe.” Cedric shook his head. “He just wrote to me the other day. He told me everything was fine. How did that all change so quickly?”

“The people planning the uprising must have been very good at hiding it.” Queen Miranda paused.

“I knew something was wrong with Kristoffer. When I met him on Friday, something was off about him, I could sense it! I shouldn’t have doubted myself!”

“Cedric, are you going to be alright?”

Fresh tears slid down his face. “I– I’m just–” He didn’t know what to say. 

“Do you remember what happened last Wassailia, when Roland and Baileywick went out in the morning, and they didn’t come back?”

Cedric nodded. 

“I was so worried. I thought– As the day went on, I became more convinced that I was going to be a widow. But I had to keep it together for the children. I kept telling them that I’m sure their father was alright. But inside I wasn’t so sure. I thought I might never see Rolie again.” Queen Miranda held Cedric’s hand, and he looked up at her. “So I know how you feel, not knowing where Greylock is, or if he’s safe. Or at least, I can imagine how you feel.”

Cedric nodded. “But you went out to look for him. No one’s looking for Greylock.”

“You don’t know that,” she said. “There could be–”

The two of them heard the door open again. 

“Mom? What’s going on?” It was Sofia. She stood in the doorway, looking confused and frightened. 

Queen Miranda sighed. “Sofia, this is a grown-up problem–”

“–Mr. Cedric!” Sofia gasped, noticing his tear-stained cheeks. She rushed towards him. “Why are you crying? What’s wrong?”

Cedric’s lip began to tremble again. He looked away, shaking his head. 

“We think one of Cedric’s friends might be in trouble,” Queen Miranda said to her daughter, squeezing Cedric’s hand empathetically. 

“Is it Mr. Greylock?!”

“Yes,” the Queen replied.

“Oh no!” Sofia said, distraught. “What happened to him?!”

“We don’t know, Sofia. But there’s nothing you can do. There’s nothing any of us can do right now.”

“What do you mean? If Mr. Greylock is in trouble, we  _ have  _ to try to help him!”

“Your mother’s right,” said Cedric, rather weakly. “There is really nothing we can do. I appreciate that you want to help me, Princess. You have a good heart. But… We don’t even know where Greylock is.”

“What do you mean? Has he been taken away?!” 

“Yes,” the Queen said.

“Why?! By who?!”

“We don’t know. And we don’t know where he was taken. All we know is that he was taken away from the castle in Rudistan.”

Sofia frowned. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Cedric. But I know we can save him!”

“No, we cannot,” the Queen said firmly, letting go of Cedric’s hand so that she could grasp her daughter’s shoulders. “I know it’s confusing, but your Dad and I talked about it, and we can’t send any knights into Rudistan now. That would cause more problems. All we can do is wait until King Magnus asks us for help.”

Sofia frowned. “But–”

“–No buts, Sofia. There’s nothing we can do for now.”

The young Princess chewed on her bottom lip. “So all we know is that Mr. Greylock is … somewhere outside King Magnus’s castle?”

Queen Miranda nodded. “That’s all we know. All we can do is hope that he is safe.”

Sofia nodded in return. “Okay.” She turned to Cedric. “I’m sure Mr. Greylock will be alright.”

Cedric smiled weakly. “Thanks, Princess Sofia.”

The girl walked away, glancing back at her mother and Cedric with a little smile. 

Queen Miranda watched her go. Once she knew her daughter was out of earshot, she sighed deeply. “I’ve never known a child who is so interested in grown-up business. She always wants to help everyone… James and Amber are so much easier to handle. They ask questions, but they can take ‘no’ for an answer in matters like these.”

“I’ve noticed,” Cedric said. “And I’ve never known a child like her, either. You’ve raised a little storybook heroine, your Majesty.”

Queen Miranda smiled. “I certainly have.”

The two were silent for a moment.

“Your Highness,” Cedric started, “Do you think Princess Sofia is going to try to... do something?” Cedric asked. 

“About Greylock?”

Cedric nodded.

The Queen arranged her skirt over her legs. “I’m sure she will. But none of our knights would go to Rudistan because a young Princess asked them to.”

“But she would go herself.”

“She wouldn’t do such a thing!”

Cedric chuckled despite himself. “You underestimate your daughter, your Majesty.”

“She knows not to go so far by herself. And besides, she’s never been to Rudistan! And neither has her horse, Minimus– at least as far as I know, so she can’t rely on him to take her. No coachman would take her alone, either– and no one would offer her directions. And she’s too smart to try to go alone, without someone to guide her.”

Cedric nodded. “I suppose that’s all true. Well... She could get directions out of someone, probably. If she framed it as simple curiosity. Or she could–” he shot a look at the Queen. “–find a map.”

Miranda’s eyes widened. “You don’t think–?”

“Never underestimate her. She’s far too bright for her own good, and she has the most intense saviour complex I’ve ever seen in a child.” 

Queen Miranda shot up. “Oh my Gods, Cedric, I think you might be right. Baileywick!” she called. “Baileywick, are you there?”

“Baileywick is with the King, your Highness,” a maid said, approaching Queen Miranda. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“Yes,” Miranda said. “I think Princess Sofia might be trying to leave the castle. I need all the servants to track her down immediately.”

The maid looked confused, but she curtseyed and said “Right away, your Highness” before rushing off. 

Queen Miranda turned back to the sorcerer. “Cedric, is there anyone else you can think of, anyone at all, who she might ask for help? Someone who would know how to get to Rudistan, and would want to help her?”

“No, I–” Cedric’s eyes widened. “Oh, no– I– Your Majesty, I think I know where she might be.” He stood up before she could respond and bolted in the direction of his workshop.

There was someone who had been to Rudistan before, several times, by air, and who would probably care about Greylock’s safety more than politics and the King’s wishes. If Sofia had enlisted this someone’s help, she might already be on her way to attempt a rescue. 

Cedric burst into his workshop. “Wormwood?” he called desperately. 

There was no caw in reply. Wormwood was not on his perch, and was nowhere to be found. The window was open. 

_ “Shit,”  _ Cedric muttered. It was just as he’d feared. “Sofia?” he shouted hopefully. “Princess Sofia, are you there? Hello?”

No answer. He looked out the window, and not too far away, he could see a small flying horse with an even smaller rider. Soaring next to them was a certain raven. “Fuck!” Cedric slammed his fists on the windowsill. 

He was going to have to run again, though he felt like his lungs were on fire. He stumbled out of his workshop door, calling for help.

Soon enough, he ran into one of the servants who was looking for Sofia. “The Princess is already gone,” Cedric panted. “I saw her on her flying horse. She’s probably off the castle grounds by now.”

“Oh, no,” said the servant. “This is bad. Are you sure it was her?”

“Positive.”

The man bolted off, yelling to call off the search and that the princess was leaving on a flying horse. Servants scrambled to alert the King and put together a search party. Cedric finally had a moment to catch his breath, but he knew he could not sit alone in his workshop when his best friend was missing and the young Princess flying into danger. He proceeded to the main foyer, albeit not at the frantic pace he’d been going before. He arrived to find the chaos he had been expecting. 

“I have to go! She’s  _ my  _ daughter!” King Roland shouted.

“It’s too dangerous, your Highness,” replied the chief castle guard. “And I can assure you, my men will find her and bring her back, save and sound.”

“I know you will, but I want to be there!”

“Rolie, you can’t go,” Queen Miranda said. “If you went, we would need to send knights to protect you. A procession of Enchancian knights entering Rudistan while an insurrection is at hand… You know what that would look like.”

“I’ll go in disguise, and without any knights!” Roland said. 

“That’s impossible, Sire,” the chief guard said. He checked over his shoulder. “The men are ready. We have to go.”

Roland groaned in frustration. “Fine! Go without me! All that matters is that Sofia is brought back quickly,” he said, defeated. 

“Yes, your Highness,” the chief guard rushed out the doors, shouting orders to his men.

The King sat down on the nearest chair, his head in his hands. “Dear God, how on Earth did this happen? Why did you tell her anything, Miranda?!” 

“She was so worried, and she was asking so many questions! I couldn’t exactly leave her in the dark about why everyone in the castle was suddenly in a panic!”

King Roland sighed. “You’re right. I shouldn’t blame you. I’m sorry.”

“I know,” Miranda said, and placed a comforting hand on her husband’s shoulder.

“It’s no one’s fault. Sofia just wants to do the right thing,” the King muttered. 

“Well, it’s probably my fault,” Cedric said.

Everyone in the room looked at him. 

“Oh, no, Cedric– it’s not your fault,” Queen Miranda said. 

“Anyone in your position would have done the same thing,” Baileywick assured him. 

“But you were right when you said the King could not do anything about it. I didn’t need to bring it straight to King Roland– I could have simply talked to the palace guards.”

“And they would have come to me,” King Roland said. “I would have needed to know about the insurrection in Rudistan.”

“You can’t do anything unless King Magnus asks for help, though.”

“I have already made my top generals aware that knights and soldiers may be needed in Rudistan. This gives them time to prepare. If I didn’t know, my first warning would have been the arrival of Rudistanian messengers, and my men and women would have had no time to get ready. You did the right thing, Cedric.”

Cedric raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

“Yes. You did. You couldn’t have intended for Sofia to take matters into her own hands. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

“I agree,” said Queen Miranda. “I don’t want you to blame yourself for anything that’s happened.”

“Thank you, your Majesties,” Cedric said quietly, new emotion rising in his chest. He was overwhelmed– with gratitude for the King and Queen, with guilt, and with worry for Greylock, Sofia, Wormwood, and the turmoil in the Kingdom of Rudistan. 

Baileywick approached him. “I’m sorry, Cedric, for how I spoke to you earlier,” he said quietly. “I didn’t intend to sound so dismissive. And I clearly didn’t think about how the information in Greylock’s letter could have helped the King.”

Cedric shook his head. “It’s alright. I’m sorry for being so cross with you.”

“I forgive you, Cedric. I’ve no hard feelings.”

Cedric smiled weakly.

“Do you want this back?” Baileywick asked, producing a folded piece of paper from his pocket. 

It was Greylock’s letter. “Yes, please,” he said softly. Baileywick handed it to him, and he thanked the older man.

“You can wait here with us. I can imagine you might want company right now,” Baileywick said. 

“Yes, thank you.”

The steward led Cedric to an empty chair. He stood next to Cedric for a moment before he was summoned by the King. 

Cedric opened the letter, and he read it again and again. He could imagine Greylock’s panic as he penned this; the writing was rushed and shaky. He stared at the end of the letter, where it said  _ “I hope this isn’t goodbye forever, but if it is… I hope you know how much you meant to me, Cedric.”  _ Tears filled his eyes yet again. Greylock couldn’t be dead, right? This couldn’t be the end… 

* * *

Cedric didn’t know how long he sat there, clutching the letter, crying intermittently. It grew darker and darker, and the minutes– or hours– bled together. Occasionally, Baileywick or Queen Miranda would speak to him for a moment to make sure he was still hanging on, but then he would be alone again. He was in a room full of people, but he felt so desperately isolated. 

“Look! Flying coaches!” exclaimed a servant, pointing out the window.

With gasps of excitement, everyone rushed to the windows to look. 

“It’s the search party!” Baileywick said.

“Gods, I hope Sofia is there!” King Roland said. 

“That’s Minimus, isn’t it?” Queen Miranda asked.

“I think it is!” confirmed Baileywick.

“But his saddle is empty!” said Roland.

“Sofia must be in one of the coaches,” reasoned the Queen.

Most everyone in the foyer, Cedric included, rushed outside to meet the coaches. After what felt like an eternity, the coaches landed, and, immediately, a guard opened the door of the first coach. 

“The Princess is here,” he announced as he exited. He helped the young Princess disembark. 

There was a collective sigh of relief as Sofia emerged, seemingly unharmed. 

“Mom! Dad!” she called, rushing into her parents’ waiting arms. 

The King and Queen hugged her, telling her how worried they were and how glad they were to have her back. 

Suddenly, however, King Roland sneezed quite aggressively. A nearly comical amount of servants blessed him in unison. 

“Ah, excuse me,” King Roland said. “Wait, Sofia, are you– is that a cat?”

“Oh, sorry, Dad!” Sofia said, chuckling. “I forgot you were allergic!” 

“Where did the cat come from?” Queen Miranda asked. 

“This is Freya,” Sofia replied. “Greylock’s cat!”

Cedric’s eyes widened. He hadn’t noticed in all the commotion of Sofia’s return, that a ragged-looking, rather dirty, haggard Greylock was being helped out of the coach. 

“G-Greylock?!” Cedric exclaimed. 

Greylock’s eyes lit up immediately. “Cedric!” he rushed to meet Cedric, colliding with him and giving him a tight hug. 

Cedric laughed in shocked surprise, hugging the older man in return. “Oh, Greylock, I–” he didn’t know what to say. 

Greylock seemingly refused to let go. “ _ Cedric, _ ” he repeated, more quietly. It seemed he didn’t know what to say, either. 

“We found the Princess on a back road through the wilderness of Rudistan, with this man, here,” explained the chief guard. “He identified himself as–”

“–Greylock the Grand, yes. We know him,” said King Roland.

Greylock finally pulled away from Cedric. “King Roland, your daughter and your guards likely saved my life. I am so, so thankful. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

Roland smiled. “Well, I seem to recall that you helped save  _ my _ life, not too long ago. So you have nothing to repay.”

Greylock chuckled rather mirthlessly. “Oh, your Highness, I must tell you at once about what is happening in Rudistan!”

“The insurrection? We’ve already heard. Cedric shared your letter with me. My generals are already preparing to lend any necessary aid to Rudistan.”

Greylock blushed. “O-oh, really? Well, that’s good.”

“Greylock has already told us everything he knows,” the chief guard said. “I will fill you in. I don’t think it’s necessary to question this man any more tonight– he’s been through much already.”

“Yes, I can imagine,” King Roland said. “Baileywick, find Greylock a hot meal and a room.”

Greylock’s face lit up. “Oh, thank you ever so much, your Highness.”

“You’re welcome to stay in my castle until it’s safe for you to return home– however long that may take.”

“Really?! Your majesty, I– I really don’t know what to say except ‘thank you’!”

King Roland sneezed again. “I am allergic to cats, though, so… If you can keep your pet under supervision, that would be much appreciated.”

“Of course, your Majesty,” Greylock said. 

A servant began carrying Greylock’s bag– the only belongings that Greylock had managed to escape with– into the castle, and Baileywick approached Greylock. 

“I have a lovely room in mind for you– and it’s quite close to Cedric’s workshop. Come with me,” Baileywick said, gesturing for Greylock to follow him as he entered the castle.

Cedric fell into step behind the two men, when suddenly he heard a caw. He turned around to see Wormwood flying towards him.

“Wormy!” he exclaimed happily as the raven landed on his shoulder. “Thank goodness you’re alright!”

“Wormwood was a big help,” Sofia said, approaching Cedric. “He was the one who led Minimus and me to Rudistan!”

“I had figured,” Cedric muttered. “Thank you so much, Princess Sofia. Seeing Greylock safe means so much to me.”

The Princess smiled. “You’re welcome! Oh, right– Can you take Freya to Mr. Greylock’s room for me? My parents want to talk to me.”

Cedric could imagine they did. “Of course,” he said.

“I’m going to give you to Mr. Cedric now,” Sofia said to the cat before putting her in Cedric’s arms. She was dirty and bedraggled, much like Greylock was, but she didn’t object to being held. 

“Freya was scared, but she knows she’s safe, now,” Sofia said. She glanced back at her parents. “Goodnight, Mr. Cedric!” she said before rushing towards the King and Queen. 

Cedric made his way into the castle, hoping to catch up to Greylock and Baileywick.

“Wormwood, have I told you that you’re the best companion a sorcerer could have?” Cedric muttered. “Because you are.”

The raven cawed, puffing out his chest feathers. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry again ahhh
> 
> Idk why the best plot device I could come up with was a fuckin mutiny but um yeah? I just thought it would make sense because everyone hates King Magnus, and also it's kind of funny because first there's Slickwell who sabotages Baileywick to steal his job and then Magnus replaces him with a different dude who overthrows him?   
> The timeline would have to be that Kristoffer had a more minor servant role for King Magnus and started plotting a revolt long ago, and once he was promoted to castle steward he set his plan in motion.
> 
> Also Magnus is the name of my ex boyfriend I just thought I'd let you all know


	9. All too strange and strong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little more angst in this chapter, CW for Greylock describing what happened to him in greater detail.

Cedric asked a servant to point him to where Greylock and Baileywick had gone, and he set off in that direction. The hall in which Greylock’s room was located was indeed near to Cedric’s workshop– Gods bless Baileywick for that choice. Eventually, he saw the steward himself, speaking to a few servants before sending them away. 

Baileywick saw him approach. “Ah, I was wondering where you were. Greylock’s about to take a bath. I’ll be nearby to bring Greylock something to eat when he’s ready. In the meantime, I’ll… Ensure no one bothers you,” he said. 

Cedric blushed. He opened his mouth to say something about him and Greylock being only friends, but Baileywick was already walking away, and the sorcerer realized he didn’t have enough energy to bother. 

“You can go to the workshop, Wormy,” Cedric muttered to his raven. “I’ll be with you in a bit.”

The raven cawed and took flight. 

Cedric sighed and knocked on the door. “It’s Cedric,” he called. “I brought Freya.”

“Coming!” said Greylock. A moment passed, and the door was opened, but Greylock hid behind it. “Come in, please. I’m not dressed,” the older sorcerer whispered.

Cedric blushed but obeyed. Greylock quickly closed and locked the door. Greylock was indeed not dressed– he was only in his drawers and undershirt. Cedric turned even redder, looking away. He heard running water in the background as the bathtub was filled.

“I can come back later,” Cedric suggested. 

“I’d… rather you stayed. I don’t want to be alone.”

Cedric’s face was hot. “O-oh… Okay.”

“Just stay out here. Make yourself comfortable. I need to wash,” Greylock said. “I just want you to keep me company.” He paused. “Unless you’re… uncomfortable. You can leave. I’ll be alright.”

“Oh, no– I’ll stay. It’s fine.”

“Thank you, Cedric. It’s just, I…” he sighed. “I spent a night and a day alone in the woods. Just me and Freya.”

“I understand,” Cedric said. He walked up to a chaise longue and sat down, still not looking at Greylock. He placed Freya on the ground, and she rushed away, presumably towards her master. “I can’t imagine how awful that must have been,” Cedric continued. 

Greylock walked into the en suite bathroom. Cedric heard the tap turn off, and the rustle of clothing as Greylock finished undressing. “It was. But the nightmare’s over now.” 

Cedric heard the splashing of water as Greylock got into the bathtub. His mind decided it was important to think about how Greylock was naked. He wished he could smack himself. “Yes. You’re safe now.”

“I’m safe, and I have Freya, and I have my violin and a few spare outfits. And I have a place to stay. And I have you.” Cedric heard more splashing as Greylock cleaned himself. “Fucksake, how did I manage to get so dirty?”

Cedric chewed on his lip. “I’m so happy you’re alright.”

“It’s quite the miracle, really. One moment, I was lost in the woods, and the next moment, a raven and a Princess on a flying horse had found me.” Greylock chuckled. “A child. She’s incredible.”

“That she is,” Cedric agreed. 

“Did you know she can speak to animals?”

“Yes,” Cedric said. “Because of that amulet she wears.”

“Isn’t that amazing? After Sofia made sure Freya and I were alright, she took flight again, and from the air she guided me to the nearest road. Then we walked down that road towards Enchancia. Of course, we wouldn’t have made it back if it weren’t for the search party, but they would have had a much harder time finding us if we hadn’t found that road. And Princess Sofia gave me hope that all was not lost.”

Cedric smiled slightly. “That’s wonderful.”

“Good Gods, the dirt’s _still_ coming off of me. It’s like I’m _made_ of dirt. I’m going to need fresh water again. The water is _brown!”_

Cedric chuckled. Greylock pulled the plug and the bath drained. “I see you haven’t lost your sense of humour.”

“Oh, no! Nothing could take that away.”

“I’m glad of that.”

“You used to hate my sense of humour.”

“That’s changed. I couldn’t do without it, now.”

Greylock turned the water on again. “Round two,” he announced in a mock sports commentator voice, “Will the dirt on Greylock hang on? Or will soap deliver the knockout punch?”

Cedric laughed. 

“Soap has been training for years, but he hasn’t seen grime quite like this before! Not in Enchancia’s castle, no! We were expecting a _clean_ victory in round one, but it seems that his opponent likes to fight _dirty!”_

Cedric guffawed. “Greylock, you’re killing me!”

In a moment, Greylock turned off the water. “Soap delivers the first blow again– straight to the gut!” he said. Greylock laughed. “Perhaps I ought not to describe to you how I’m washing myself. That could get rather improper rather quickly.”

Cedric blushed. “Y-yes, I suppose it could.” He heard more splashing as Greylock submerged himself in the water, and came up in a moment with a quiet gasp. 

“I’ve never appreciated a bath so much,” Greylock said. 

“I can imagine.”

Neither man spoke for a moment. Cedric watched Freya walk around the room, surveying her new territory, and he tried not to listen too hard to Greylock washing himself. 

Eventually, he heard Greylock sigh in exasperation. “Shit. I knew I forgot something,” he muttered to himself. “Cedric?” He called.

“Yes?”

“Can you please bring me a towel? There are a couple on the bed.”

“Certainly,” he said, getting up. “Just one?”

“I only have the one body, so yes,” he joked. 

Cedric chuckled. “Alright, then.” He picked up one of the towels on the bed and walked towards the bathroom. He had intended to drop it on the bathroom floor without having to look at Greylock, and leaving right away, but the bathroom layout was different from what he had been expecting, and between where the mirror was and where the bath was and Cedric’s line of sight from the doorway– well, he found himself looking straight at Greylock as he entered. From his vantage point, he couldn’t see much of him– only his head and his shoulders. But it was still rather shocking, especially once Greylock smirked at him. He tossed the towel in Greylock’s direction and slunk out of the bathroom. 

“Why, you prude,” Greylock teased.

Cedric blushed. He heard Greylock pull the plug, and the water drained from the bathtub. Greylock had nice shoulders, and the sight of them was rather burned into his memory, now. 

He sat back down and waited for Greylock to dry himself and get dressed. Greylock re-emerged in a minute or so, dressed in clean clothes. 

“Shall I tell Baileywick to get you something to eat?” Cedric asked. 

“Yes, please,” Greylock said. “And will you stay with me a little longer?” 

“Of course,” Cedric replied. 

Greylock smiled as he sat on the bed. “Thank you, Cedric.”

The younger man left the room, and found Baileywick not far down the hall. 

“Baileywick?”

The butler looked back at him. “Ah, Cedric. Is Greylock ready to eat?”

“Yes.” Cedric cocked his head. “What are you doing there?”

“Ensuring you and Greylock’s privacy,” he answered matter-of-factly. 

Cedric blushed. “Baileywick, that– we– we weren’t–”

“Yes, you’re just friends.” Baileywick said as he strolled down the hall towards the stairs. “I know. Well, someone will come with food shortly. Goodnight, Cedric.”

The sorcerer frowned. “Goodnight, Baileywick.” He re-entered Greylock’s room, closing the door behind him.

“You found Baileywick already?” Greylock asked, surprised. 

“Yes. He was just down the hall. Standing guard.” Cedric sighed. “Greylock, I’m quite sure he believes we were… Up to something.”

“What kind of something?”

Cedric gestured vaguely. 

“I generally like to use words when I communicate.”

“Fucking.”

Greylock raised his eyebrows. “Oh? How scandalous of us.”

“It’s infuriating. Baileywick thinks you and I are lovers, and he won’t leave me alone about it.”

“Is that so?”

“It is. He won’t believe you and I are just friends, no matter how many times I tell him. I feel like I can’t so much as talk about you without him using that against me.”

Greylock chuckled. “Oh?”

“He has good intentions. He wants to protect me; protect us. But I wish he would listen to me when I say there’s nothing between us.”

Greylock smirked at Cedric. “Hmm. He wants to protect us from backlash, because he’s an older queer man?”

“Precisely. I’m sure there’s a young gay couple hidden somewhere in this castle that could use his mother goose protectiveness.”

Greylock chuckled. “Maybe there is. And maybe he’s so good at helping them hide that you haven’t noticed.”

Cedric laughed. “Many things happen in this castle that I don’t notice, so I can believe that.”

There was a knock at the door. Cedric opened it. It was a maid with a tray of food. “I was told to bring this,” she said. She was obviously not yet caught up on all of the goings-on, as she seemed surprised to see Cedric, and more surprised to see the unknown man sitting on the bed. 

“Yes, come in,” Cedric said as he opened the door. He hoped she had a cleaner mind than Baileywick. 

She brought the tray to the room’s small table and set it down. 

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” Greylock said, standing and walking towards her. “My name is Greylock. Who might you be?”

“My name is Margaret, sir,” she said with a curtsey. 

“Margaret– a pleasure to meet you,” Greylock replied with a small bow. “And thank you for the meal.”

The maid seemed a little shocked by his manners. “Oh, it’s no problem, sir.” She began to leave. “Good evening, gentlemen,” she said before leaving. Cedric closed and locked the door again. 

Greylock sat down at the table and uncovered the tray of food. There was a bowl of soup with some bread and butter, along with two small dishes for Freya– one with water, and the other full of meat scraps. He placed the two little bowls on the ground, and his cat came bounding towards them with vigour.

“Gods, I’m famished,” Greylock said as he straightened. “I ate nothing but wild berries until the royal guard showed up. They gave me some meagre provisions for the journey to Enchancia.” He began to butter his bread.

Cedric raised an eyebrow as he sat on the other chair across from Greylock. “You… Weren’t able to conjure food for yourself?”

Greylock shook his head as he chewed. When he swallowed, he looked down. “I suppose I didn’t mention to you that Kristoffer and the other insurgents took my wand before putting me in the coach.”

Cedric’s jaw dropped. “They took your wand?! Why?!”

“They didn’t want me to use magic to try to stop the revolt. With my wand, I would be too powerful.”

“But they were taking you away from the castle, anyway.”

“With my wand, I would have been able to find my way back.”

“This is true. That still seems rather… Uncalled for.”

“That’s not the worst of it,” Greylock continued after another bite. “They took my monocle and blindfolded me in the coach so that I wouldn’t be able to see where I was, in case I tried to go back to the castle to try to stop the mutiny. I didn’t bring spare glasses, and I am practically blind in my right eye.”

“They left you wandless and half-blind in the middle of nowhere?! I thought Kristoffer was trying to save you from getting hurt in the mutiny!”

“He was– But he also wanted to get rid of me. I only truly realized what was going on when I was thrown in the coach and frisked at knife-point. My wand was taken away and a butler tied my arms behind my back. Kristoffer told me that they were planning to overthrow King Magnus, and asked if I would aid in their plan. I asked what they would do to me if I said no, and Kristoffer said he would take me far away, but that I would be free. I told them I hated King Magnus as much as they all did, but that I didn’t want to hurt anyone, and that this was the wrong way to bring about change. Kristoffer said that if I hadn’t been so kind to him before, he would have thrown me in the dungeon for denying help. This was his mercy.”

Cedric’s stomach sank. “That’s mercy?!”

Greylock nodded. He began to eat his soup. “That’s when I was blindfolded. A coachman and a palace guard took me away. The palace guard told me he wouldn’t gag me if I stayed quiet, and if I tried any funny business, he’d kill Freya. So I said and did nothing.”

Greylock paused to take a few bites. Cedric remained silent. 

“An hour or so later, the coach stopped, and we got out. The guard led me on foot for another long while, complaining the whole way that Kristoffer was so insistent on keeping me alive. Finally, he untied me and dropped me off. He told me that if I took the blindfold off or even moved before he counted to 100, that he would kill Freya. I stayed still and waited as I heard him count. I didn’t dare move even after he finished. Not until I couldn’t hear his footsteps anymore. It had to have been several minutes later when I finally had the courage to take off the blindfold. Freya was still there, and so was my bag, thank the Gods. But I was lost and alone and half-blind and wandless in the forest in the middle of the night.”

Cedric listened, his brow furrowed in sympathy. He grew more distraught as Greylock went on. “Greylock, I– I’m so sorry…”

Greylock was staring now into his half-empty bowl. “I trusted Kristoffer. I thought we were friends. And now… What will happen to my kingdom? Will I ever be able to go home again?”

The older sorcerer looked away, and Cedric saw tears well up in his eyes. “I–” Greylock bit his lip and suddenly stood up. “I’m sorry, I can’t–” 

Greylock began to sob, covering his face with his hands. He slumped onto the edge of the bed, sitting with his back to Cedric. “I’m– I’m sorry, Cedric,” he managed between sobs. “I didn’t want to break down in front of you–”

Cedric felt a lump in his throat. Without having to think about it, he rushed to Greylock’s side and sat down next to him. “Hey, Greylock, don’t apologize. It’s alright,” he said gently, placing a hand on Greylock’s upper back. 

“I thought I could– I could keep it together,” he muttered. “I was trying– so hard.”

“I know. But it’s fine. You’ve been through so much. It’s okay to cry.” Cedric felt tears of his own clouding his vision.

“Grown men aren’t supposed to be this weak,” Greylock said, more to himself than to Cedric.

The younger sorcerer frowned. “Greylock, that’s bollocks. You know how much I cried today when I thought I had lost you?”

“Y-you did?”

“Like a baby,” Cedric confirmed. 

Greylock shook his head. Freya had walked over from her meal and was rubbing against Greylock’s shin. “I should just be glad I survived. That I have Freya and a few of my possessions. That I’m in a safe place and I have you.”

Cedric rubbed the other man’s back. 

“And I am glad of that. But I’m also–” his lip trembled again. “Gods, Cedric, I was just so frightened–” He began to weep, no longer able to form words. 

Cedric felt a tear slide down his own cheek. He moved closer to Greylock. “I know. It’s okay, let it out.” 

Greylock finally turned to Cedric and hugged him, leaning forward. He sobbed into Cedric’s shoulder, and Cedric held Greylock close with one arm. With the other hand, he stroked Greylock’s hair, carding his fingers through the soft, damp locks. Cedric tried not to let Greylock realize that he himself was crying as he muttered comforting words. 

They sat there for a long while, and as Greylock’s sobs turned to silent tears, Cedric grew silent as well, simply holding Greylock close. Eventually, Greylock stopped crying altogether, but Cedric still did not move. He wouldn’t let go until Greylock relinquished his tight grip on his robe. When finally Greylock’s fingers loosened and he pulled away from Cedric’s embrace, Cedric found himself reluctant to let go. 

“Thank you,” Greylock whispered, wiping away his last tears. 

Cedric smiled a little. “You’re most welcome.”

“Y-you can go now,” Greylock said. “I don’t want to keep you.”

“I don’t mind,” Cedric said. “I will stay as long as you want me.”

“You will?”

“Of course.”

“Then will you… stay a little longer?”

Cedric nodded. “Certainly.”

Greylock smiled slightly. “Thank you.”

Greylock finished his meal– Cedric had to use magic to reheat the soup– and Cedric sat across from him, keeping him company. They talked little. They were both very tired. 

When Greylock had finished, he told Cedric that he would be going to sleep now. 

“Will you be alright to sleep alone?”

Greylock blushed a little. “I should be. And in any case, I have Freya.” 

Cedric nodded. “Alright.”

“You’ll come see me tomorrow, won’t you?” Greylock asked. 

“Of course I will.”

Greylock smiled. “Good.”

Both men got up and walked towards the door. “Cedric…” Greylock started as they stood next to the door. Cedric looked at him, waiting for him to continue. “Thank you,” Greylock whispered, and hugged Cedric warmly.

Cedric felt contentment swell in his chest. “Don’t mention it,” Cedric said. 

Greylock pulled away after a long moment and took Cedric’s hand. Greylock bowed his head and brought Cedric’s hand upwards to kiss just below his knuckles, right where his gloves ended and left his fingers exposed. The younger man’s heart leapt. Greylock’s lips were surprisingly soft as they lingered against Cedric’s skin, sending what felt like a shock from Greylock’s palm zapper up his arm, but instead of painful, it was thrilling. Greylock let him go at last, and looked up at Cedric with a bashful smile. “Goodnight, Cedric,” he said softly.

“Goodnight, Greylock,” Cedric replied. He opened the door and left the room. 

He walked down the hall, hearing Greylock close the door softly behind him. It was dark. Cedric pulled out his wand to produce some light to guide him to his workshop. 

The whole way there, he felt odd. He felt pain for Greylock’s horrible experience, he felt relieved that Greylock was safe and sound… But most of all, he felt like his friendship with Greylock had taken a sharp turn. Consoling Greylock as he wept had deepened their connection in an unprecedented way. They were closer now, much closer, in a way Cedric had never been close to anyone before. 

When he made it to his workshop, he made sure that Wormwood was alright– the raven was asleep comfortably, having obviously eaten a rather large portion of feed. Cedric climbed up to the upper level of his workshop and undressed down to his undergarments. 

He sat on his bed and folded his clothes, ruminating on what he felt. It was indescribable; a warmth and deep satisfaction, coupled with an insatiable longing. Longing for what, he asked himself? 

Without thinking about it, he brought the robe he had been wearing closer to his face. It smelled a bit like Greylock.

Greylock– he longed for Greylock. He longed to be back in that room again. And do what? Neither of them were in the mood to talk. They were both so drained, all they could do was sleep. Cedric felt a pang of yearning at the thought. That wouldn’t be a bad thing, to sleep in Greylock’s bed. It would be warm and comfortable and he could hold Greylock close again, and–

–And kiss him, and touch him, and press himself so near to the other man that they would hardly be two separate entities anymore. _Gods,_ he wanted that. He wanted that so badly that it shocked him. And how _right_ it felt to want it, and to admit that he wanted it. That he wanted Greylock, and… 

…That he was in love with Greylock. 

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He laid down, still clutching his robe. He was deeply, absolutely, and fully infatuated with this man. How long had he felt this way? Was it tonight that he’d fallen in love?

No, Cedric was already in love with Greylock when he got his letter that morning– That’s why he was so distraught by the possibility of losing him. Was it Greylock’s previous letter, with which he’d included the song he wrote for Cedric, that made Cedric fall in love? No– no, he had to have been in love with Greylock the previous Friday. That was why he found the coach ride to Enchancia so pleasant. That was why he was so affected by Greylock’s piano playing. And he’d been in such denial about the whole thing, despite having fantasized about _kissing_ Greylock… 

That warmth, that levity, that nervous excitement, the butterflies in his stomach– it was just as Sofia had described. Just as the romance stories Cedric had put down in disgust as a boy had described. That was being in love. And truly, he’d felt it for the first time all the way back at the Royal Jubilee, sitting at that table with Greylock as they talked into the night… He’d felt it then, and blamed it on drink.

“I’m such a fucking idiot,” Cedric whispered out loud to himself. 

How did an 8-year-old girl figure out his feelings before he did?! Because he was a fucking idiot, obviously– and so deep in denial that he had truly convinced himself he couldn’t have feelings for this handsome, intelligent, hilarious, talented man. It was to protect himself, truly; Greylock was straight, Cedric recalled unhappily. He had fallen in love with a man who wasn’t going to love him back. 

Perhaps Greylock could love him back… Baileywick and Sofia seemed to think he could. And this wouldn’t be the first time that Cedric had seduced a ‘straight’ man. There was much he could achieve with a swish of his hips– nearly as magical as a swish of his wand, in his experience. 

Cedric was too tired to stay awake pining and plotting. With his nose buried in the part of his robe where Greylock’s scent was the strongest, he soon drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cedric fucking FINALLY stopped being in denial! Yay for him! Reminds me of when I finally admitted to myself I wasn't cis after spending years questioning my gender identity lmao
> 
> *bangs pots and pans together* SEASON 4 DIDN'T HAPPEN!!! DAY OF THE SORCERERS ESPECIALLY NEVER HAPPENED!!! GREYLOCK IS A GOOD BOY AND MAKING HIM A VILLAIN WAS THE DUMBEST IDEA EVER AND THIS FIC IS FIXING DISNEY'S MISTAKES. THANK YOU
> 
> Shout out to the Sofia the First fanfic I started to write in like 2017 when I shipped Cedwick that's just about Cedric using a janky teleportation potion and ending up stuck hiding in a linen closet as Baileywick takes a bath. Writing this chapter reminded me of that and yeah lmao.


	10. So please forgive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day, folks! 
> 
> All I can say is... poor Cedric, man. And poor Greylock.

As soon as he’d finished his breakfast and gotten ready for the day, Cedric went to go see Greylock. He was worried about how Greylock had spent the night after all that he’d been through– had he slept alright?

Soon enough, Cedric was knocking at the door of the other sorcerer’s room. There was no answer. 

He knocked again. “Greylock? It’s Cedric. Are you awake?”

Still nothing. Perhaps Greylock was still asleep? Cedric was about to give up and return to his workshop for another little while, but suddenly the door opened a crack. 

“Cedric? What time is it?” Greylock asked, rubbing his eyes. The room behind him was dark, the curtains closed.

“It’s almost 10:30,” Cedric answered.

Greylock eyes widened. “What?! Really?! My goodness!”

“Did I wake you up?”

Greylock shook his head. “No, I was already awake. I hardly slept all night. I kept… I kept waking up from nightmares.”

Cedric frowned. “I’m so sorry. I should… Let you try to get more sleep, then,” he said. 

“No, it’s no use, really– I don’t want more nightmares,” Greylock said. “Just… Give me a moment to get dressed.” 

“Shall I find some breakfast for you?” Cedric asked.

Greylock smiled a little. “Yes, please. That would be very kind of you.”

“Alright. I’ll see you shortly.”

Greylock thanked Cedric again and closed the door. 

The younger man frowned as he made his way towards the kitchen. He realized how foolish and how selfish he’d been the night before, fantasizing about seducing Greylock. This man was in no state of mind to be seduced. He was traumatized– Cedric could only hope he wasn’t forever broken by what happened. 

Once in the kitchen, Cedric found a chef to ask if there was anything leftover from breakfast. Thankfully, a portion had been set aside for Greylock. Cedric took it, seeing no reason to waste a servant’s time when he was going to see Greylock himself. 

On the way back to the room, he ran into Baileywick.

“Cedric, have you spoken to Greylock this morning?” Baileywick asked.

“Yes, I have,” Cedric replied. “And I’m going to bring him breakfast now.” 

“Is he alright?”

Cedric shook his head slightly. “He told me he hardly slept last night because of nightmares.”

Baileywick frowned. “I’m not surprised. It sounds like he’s had a very rough turn of events.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Cedric said. “The insurgents took his wand before they brought him to the forest.”

Baileywick’s eyes widened. “I… I should have guessed.”

“Wandless, half-blind, lost and alone…” Cedric muttered. “Last night he cried for what felt like an hour. I’m terrified that he won’t… Heal.”

The older man looked sympathetic. “He has you to care for him, though. Don’t underestimate how much a friend can help someone.”

“Baileywick, I… I love him,” Cedric whispered. He didn’t know why he said it, but it was like a weight had been lifted from his chest. 

Baileywick smiled slightly. “I know.”

“I didn’t. Not until last night.” He sighed. “I’ve been in such denial…”

“It happens. It must be a relief to know now, though.”

“Somewhat. But… He is interested in women. And even if he liked men... He’s not exactly in a frame of mind to… you know.”

“Just be there for him, Cedric. That’s the greatest love you can show.”

Cedric pondered this for a moment. “You’re right. There’s nothing I want more than to be there for him.”

The older man smirked. “I won’t keep you, then. Give my well-wishes to Greylock.” He walked off. 

“Wait, Baileywick,” Cedric said, stopping him. “Thank you.”

“Whatever for?”

“For looking out for me.”

Baileywick smiled warmly. “Oh, don’t mention it.” He turned around and continued on his way.

Cedric took a breath and left towards Greylock’s room. In a moment, he arrived at the door and knocked. 

“It’s Cedric,” he called. “I have breakfast for you.”

“Coming!” Greylock opened the door. “Thank you, Cedric,” he said, stepping aside. Cedric brought the tray inside and placed it on the table. 

“You know,” Greylock said, “you don’t need to stay with me. You have work to do, surely.”

“Nothing important,” Cedric said. “And I certainly don’t mind keeping a friend company.”

Greylock smiled. He walked towards the table. “You’re very kind. I’m lucky to have you.” 

Cedric sat down. He was blushing slightly, and didn’t know how to reply. Greylock was dressed, but the top couple buttons of his shirt were undone and his bowtie was draped, untied, around his neck. Cedric was quite entranced by the base of Greylock’s neck, the little hollow between his collarbones. 

Greylock began to eat, and Cedric tried not to stare. Greylock looked a lot better than he had the previous night, but his eyelids were puffy from crying, and Cedric couldn’t miss the dark circles under his eyes. 

“Greylock, I wanted to ask you… Would you like to perhaps… borrow one of my wands? Until you can have one of your own again?” Cedric blushed as he asked the question. A sorcerer’s wand was an extension of themselves, and highly personal. Wands could be shared, as was the case at schools, but any sorcerer worth anything had their own wands, often passed down through family, through mentors to students, or through sorcerers employed in an important position. Each sorcerer preferred a particular style, make, length, weight, material… and the longer a wand was in the possession of a certain sorcerer, the more it molded itself to that individual’s will and energy. Offering a used wand to a sorcerer was something at once infantilizing and strangely intimate. Cedric only hoped that Greylock wouldn’t be offended by the suggestion.

The other man smiled. “That would be very kind of you, Cedric.”

Cedric was relieved. “What make are your wands? Perhaps I have a close match.”

“The wand I always use is a 13-inch redwood van der Berg. I bought it myself a few years after I graduated Hexley Hall– my parents aren’t sorcerers, and my father’s father’s wands were no good for me. All my wands are long, lightweight van der Bergs, but I’m sure any light or medium-weight wand would be fine.”

Cedric pursed his lips. “Unfortunately, all my wands are on the heavy side. Mostly Schneiders. But they’re all around that length, at least.”

Greylock looked a little disappointed. “Well, I’ve used a Schneider wand before. It wasn’t too bad. Certainly much better than going without a wand until I can go back home.” He smiled a little. “Thank you for the offer.”

* * *

After Greylock had finished eating, Cedric led him the short distance to his workshop. Greylock had tried to leave Freya in his room, but she had objected so loudly that he decided to bring her. It seemed she, just like her master, was opposed to being left alone. 

The two men with cat in tow soon arrived at Cedric’s workshop. 

“Well, it’s not as nice as yours, but it’s serviceable,” Cedric said as they entered. He immediately regretted having brought up Greylock’s home, but, to his relief, the other sorcerer didn’t seem affected. 

“I think it’s quite nice,” Greylock said. “Very… you.”

Cedric smiled a little. “Well, speaking of things that are very ‘me’... Let’s see if I can find my spare wands…” The younger man began to search his shelves for the case he kept them in. 

“This portrait… Are those your parents, Cedric?” Greylock asked after a moment. 

“Yes. And that painting is enchanted– my parents decided they needed to keep an eye on me, and they can do so through that painting.”

Greylock chuckled. “That’s sweet. Though at the same time, it makes me glad my parents aren’t sorcerers.”

“It’s nice to be able to talk to my Mum without travelling, but I always feel like anything I do could be scrutinized at any moment.” Cedric sighed. “Another reason you should be glad that your parents aren’t sorcerers.”

“But my father is a retired orchestra conductor. He helped me become the musician I am, but,  _ Gods,  _ that man wouldn’t let me practice without telling me exactly when and how I was making a mistake. It was always  _ ‘That’s an F sharp, Grey!’  _ and  _ ‘fix your tuning, Grey!’  _ and _ ‘You're rushing, Grey! I’ve told you to practice with a metronome!’”  _ Greylock sighed. 

Cedric somewhat enjoyed the knowledge that Greylock’s father called him ‘Grey’. It was rather cute. “Sounds like my father, but when it comes to magic,” Cedric said. “He’s only just stopped correcting my form every time he sees me cast a spell.”

Greylock chuckled. 

“Ah, here it is!” Cedric said, pulling the case out. He brought it to his desk and pushed some things out of the way so that he could set it down. He opened the case. “I’ve quite the selection. Though, as we discussed earlier, I’m not sure any will suit you.”

Greylock approached him from behind. “I’ll try them out– I’m sure I can find one that’ll work,” he said, almost over Cedric’s shoulder. 

The younger man shivered. If only Greylock knew how his proximity affected Cedric– He wanted Greylock to come nearer, until his chest pressed against Cedric’s back…

Cedric stepped out of the way at last, blushing. Greylock began to look through the case, carefully picking up the first wand that caught his eye. 

“Yes, quite a bit heavier than I’m used to. And hardwood, too,” Greylock said. “Seems you’re partial to wands on the girthier side, hmm?” His tone was rather bawdy.

Cedric was glad to not be facing Greylock, because he turned a vibrant shade of red. “Uh, y-yes,” he stuttered.

“Long, thick, hard, rather weighty in your hand– That’s your preference?”

Greylock had to be speaking this way on purpose, to mess with him– And it was working. Cedric was quite flustered, but endeavoured not to show it. “It is.”

“Duly noted,” Greylock muttered. 

Cedric glanced at the other man, who was waving one of Cedric’s wands around experimentally. He put it down. “I’m afraid that, so far, none of these wands have agreed with me.”

“Because your own wand is so small?” Cedric asked smugly. Two could play at Greylock’s game. 

The other man looked surprised for a short moment, before he smirked mischievously. “The ones I use at home, perhaps. The one I brought with me is… quite sizable, I can assure you.” He winked.

Cedric regretted having challenged Greylock with such boldness. He flushed redder than before at Greylock’s words, and at the way he’d winked so suggestively.

Greylock knew he won. It was his turn to look smug as he turned back to the case of wands. 

Cedric, now quite subdued, watched as Greylock went through the box, trying one wand after another. It was interesting how, when Greylock attempted to cast a simple  _ liftoffagus  _ spell, it was as if the wands were reluctant to obey; the magic sputtered from the end of the wand instead of shooting out in a straight beam as it ought to. Freya and Wormwood seemed to watch with interest as well. 

Finally, Greylock came upon the wand that Cedric had used throughout most of his life– his 14-inch desert ironwood Schneider wand, tinted purple. A gift from his mother, that had been his wand of choice from shortly after graduating from Hexley Hall all the way until his father had finally allowed him to use the family wand. Cedric almost told Greylock not to bother to try it– nearly twenty years of use had entwined it with Cedric’s energy. However, Greylock seemed to like it as he turned it over in his hands. He gave it a few test flicks before pointing it at a book on Cedric’s desk and saying  _ ‘liftoffagus!’ _

To the younger man’s surprise, the spell worked flawlessly, causing the book to float upwards. 

“Well, what do you know!” Greylock chuckled. “This one is listening to me. It’s not by any means a perfect fit, but it’ll do quite nicely.” Greylock lowered the book back down 

“I-I don’t understand…” Cedric began, “I used that wand every day for decades! I only changed to my current one a couple months ago.”

Greylock’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s rather surprising. I suppose…” He cleared his throat “I suppose I’m quite in tune with you.” A faint blush dusted those high cheekbones. 

“I suppose you are,” Cedric agreed, his face reddening to match. 

Cedric knew  _ couples _ who couldn’t swap wands like this. He hated that it gave him hope that he and Greylock could be together.

“Well, I should get out of your hair, now, I suppose,” Greylock said. “Thanks very much for lending me the wand.”

Cedric nodded. “You’re most welcome.”

“Perhaps I’ll see you later?” Greylock asked. 

“Of course. This evening? Maybe 8 o’clock?” 

The other man smiled. “Perfect! I look forward to it.” He beckoned for Freya to follow him, and she did dutifully. Greylock picked her up and made his way out of Cedric’s workshop with a final wave. 

Cedric stared at the door for a minute, thinking. His attraction to Greylock was getting hard to manage. It was an ever-present thorn in his side that made it difficult for him to behave normally. And yet he didn’t wish to stop being attracted to the man, no– he wished to languish in his love, relish it. He only wished Greylock shared it with him. He sighed. 

“Wormy, what am I going to do?” Cedric asked. “It’s like every minute that passes I’m more in love with that confounded man.”

Wormwood didn’t react. Maybe Wormwood already knew.

* * *

That evening, Cedric made his way once again to Greylock’s room. Once he was outside the door, he heard music from inside– Greylock was playing the violin. Cedric almost didn’t want to interrupt him, but he felt so awkward standing outside that he eventually decided to knock. The music stopped. 

“Is that you, Cedric?” Greylock asked. 

“Yes.”

“Come in, the door’s unlocked.”

Cedric opened the door and stepped in. Greylock was standing by the window, his back to Cedric. He had taken his robe off; it was draped over the edge of the bed near his open violin case.

“King Roland told me that messengers from Rudistan arrived early this morning, requesting military help,” Greylock said, not turning away from the window. “The King sent his troops soon after.” Greylock absently plucked a couple notes on the fingerboard of his violin. 

“Well, that’s good.”

“I’m not sure. King Magnus is an incompetent leader who worked me and all his servants to the bone. Kristoffer and his insurgents are hot-headed and violent, and they left me stranded in the wilderness. I don’t know which side to cheer for.” 

Cedric frowned. “It’s not always obvious, is it?”

“Certainly not.” 

Cedric didn’t know what to say. After a moment of silence, Greylock began to play again, more quietly than before. It was a melancholic sort of tune. 

“I suppose it is best that the revolt is stopped, though. Minimize the damage,” Greylock said over his music. 

Cedric hummed. He was distracted by Greylock’s playing– the way the fingers of his left hand moved so elegantly along the strings, the soft curve of his right wrist as he bowed… It was beautiful. Cedric could watch and listen to him play forever, though his heart ached with the longing to hold those nimble-fingered hands and kiss Greylock’s soft lips with unbridled passion.

Eventually, Greylock stopped playing. He removed the cloth from between his chin and the violin, and took the instrument off his shoulder. He spent a moment more looking out the window before he finally turned to Cedric. 

“Goodness, you’ve been standing there the whole time?” Greylock asked. “Please, sit down!”

Cedric hadn’t noticed that he was still hovering by the door. He walked to the table and sat down on one of the chairs. 

“I’m sorry that I’m not particularly talkative,” Greylock said. “I’m a little morose. And very tired.” He began to wipe down his bow with a small cloth from his violin case.

“If you’d rather just go to bed, I understand,” Cedric said.

Greylock shook his head. “No, certainly not.” He loosened his bow before putting it away. “I’m… Well, I’m quite reluctant to go to sleep at all, after the nightmares I had last night.”

Cedric frowned. “Ah, I see.”

The older man wiped the strings of his violin with the same small cloth, focused on his task.

“You do have to sleep eventually.”

“I’m hoping that if I stay awake long enough, I will be so tired that I’ll pass out and be too exhausted to dream.”

Cedric’s frown deepened. “Greylock… That doesn’t sound like a good idea.”

Greylock put his violin into the case and closed it. “Do you have a better one, then?” Greylock asked, raising his voice. “Should I just be content to relive my trauma again and again, like picking a scab?”

Cedric was taken aback. 

Greylock looked away. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just, I… well. I’m at a loss.”

“If I were here to keep you company while you slept, would that help?” Cedric asked.

The other sorcerer looked at him in surprise. “You’d do that? But where would you sleep?”

_ In your arms,  _ Cedric resisted the temptation to say. Instead he shrugged. “I can stay here until I get tired, and then return to my workshop.”

“If it’s not too much to ask, I… I think that would help quite a bit, yes.”

“Of course it’s not too much to ask– that’s why I offered.”

Greylock smiled. “Thank you, Cedric. You’re… You’re everything I need right now.”

Cedric blushed a little. “I’m… glad.”

“In that case, I think I’ll go straight to bed,” Greylock said. “I’ve no reason to stay up.”

“I’d like to get a book from my workshop, first,” Cedric said, standing up. “To keep me occupied.”

Greylock nodded. “Of course.”

* * *

Cedric returned soon enough. He knocked on the door, and Greylock opened it quickly. 

“Hello again,” he said with a bashful smile. Greylock had removed his bowtie and sweater vest, and his shirt was unbuttoned slightly. Cedric endeavoured not to stare. 

Cedric brought his book – a rather thrilling mystery novel – to the chaise longue, and sat down. He’d only just done this when he saw Greylock unbuttoning the rest of his shirt. He blushed at the sight of Greylock in his undershirt– he not only had nice shoulders, but nice arms as well. And most distractingly of all were the light curls of chest hair that were just barely visible over the neckline or the undershirt.  _ Fuck.  _ Cedric forced his eyes elsewhere.

He heard the bedsprings compress as Greylock got in and settled under the covers. 

“Cedric, if you see that I’m having a nightmare, will you please wake me up?” Greylock asked.

“Of course,” Cedric answered.

“Thank you.”

The older man laid down and nuzzled slightly into his pillow. “Goodnight, Cedric,” he muttered. 

“Goodnight, Greylock.”

Cedric took his gloves and shoes off and began to read where he’d left off in his novel. He could see quite well by the light of the one candle lit on the nearby desk. 

In a few minutes, Freya came lumbering towards Cedric, and she curled up at his feet to sleep. Cedric got up for a moment to remove his robe– it was unnecessarily cumbersome. He took off his necktie, too, and placed it on the desk. Finally, he decided that his vest could go, and he was much more comfortable for it. In another few minutes, Cedric heard Greylock’s breathing become slow and even. He looked up from his book and saw that Greylock was indeed sound asleep. Cedric felt relieved. 

Greylock looked so peaceful like this, so calm. The lines on his forehead were smoothed, and Cedric was reminded of a much younger Greylock, the boy Cedric remembered from school. Cedric had only just begun to reconcile his memories of Greylock with the man he loved now. He realized more and more that Greylock was trying to show him affection, in his own way, back then… He wished he’d seen it in those days, too. 

Cedric turned back to his book. A long while passed in which he read and Greylock slept soundly, and Cedric began to wonder if his presence had some magical soothing effect that eliminated Greylock’s nightmares. Cedric grew tired himself, and thought that maybe he could go to bed soon. 

Then, suddenly, Greylock let out a soft grunt. Cedric looked to him. Greylock was still asleep, but his brow was knitted instead of relaxed. Cedric heard him grunt again, and saw his face twist up. Greylock’s head thrashed to the side, then to the other. Cedric slid the ribbon bookmark into place and put his book down. He got up and climbed onto the bed beside Greylock. 

He gently grabbed Greylock’s shoulders, all too aware of his palms touching Greylock’s bare skin, and shook him. 

“Greylock, wake up,” he whispered. 

Greylock made a small sound of alarm and thrashed again. 

“Greylock.” He shook the man again, a little more forcefully.

Greylock’s eyes shot open and he gasped. He stared at Cedric with wide eyes. “Wh–?”

“It was just a nightmare, Grey. You’re alright now.” The nickname slipped out without Cedric intending it, and he blushed as he realized that he’d used it. 

Greylock sighed, closing his eyes again. “I thought I was being taken away again. But this time, I was being taken away from you,” Greylock muttered. 

“No one’s taking you away. It was just a nightmare; you’re safe now.”

Greylock took several deep breaths. “Yes. I’m safe. You’re here with me.” He fumbled for Cedric’s hand. When he found it, he squeezed it rather hard, and brought it to his lips to kiss Cedric’s knuckles briefly. 

Cedric’s face grew hot. Merlin’s fucking mushrooms, why did Greylock insist on doing that? 

Greylock didn’t let go of Cedric’s hand. He held it like a lifeline.

“Are you okay?” Cedric asked. 

Greylock looked into Cedric’s eyes. “You’re here, so yes.”

Cedric was glad for the dark to conceal his blush. Greylock ran his thumb over the back of Cedric’s hand, slowly and deliberately. Greylock’s eyes fluttered closed, but he still didn’t let go of Cedric’s hand. 

Cedric watched as Greylock tried to go back to sleep, still clutching his hand. Cedric found his position rather awkward, and shifted so that he was lying down. He could get back up once Greylock was asleep again. 

But when Greylock’s breaths signified that he was unconscious, his grip on Cedric’s hand only barely loosened. And Cedric couldn’t pry himself away, not without risking waking Greylock, which he most certainly did not want to do. He hoped that Greylock would let his hand go soon, so that Cedric could leave. He was very tired.

In the meantime, he decided to rest his eyes for a moment. There was no harm in that– he would feel when Greylock loosened his grip on his hand, and he would leave then. Cedric closed his eyes. 

* * *

Cedric woke up feeling particularly toasty, and very comfortable. However, he soon realized that his face was pressed into something solid and warm, and that that something was rising and falling slightly with steady breaths. Cedric’s eyes widened in alarm and he retracted his arms from around Greylock’s body and pulled away, struggling out of the other man’s tight grasp. He sat up, but found that his legs had been tangled with Greylock’s. He tried desperately to free himself. 

Greylock hummed and rubbed his eyes. He stretched his arms out towards Cedric, but he seemed surprised to find him there. Greylock’s eyes shot open. 

“Cedric?” he asked, squinting. 

“I am so, so, sorry,” Cedric said, his face turning beet red. “I really did not mean to spend the night here, I–”

“–Cedric, relax. It’s alright,” Greylock said. “I don’t mind.”

“But we were all–” He gestured vaguely. “Snuggled.”

Greylock smiled and shrugged. “It’s fine. It was probably my fault, anyway; I’m known to be quite the cuddler.”

Cedric didn’t feel much better. If Greylock knew Cedric’s feelings for him, he wouldn’t be so blasé about them having slept in the same bed. 

“Your presence helped me, though. After the first nightmare, I slept soundly for the rest of the night,” Greylock said, stretching his arms before resting his hands under his head. He glanced at Cedric with an odd sort of smile. Content, rested. The bags under his eyes were much diminished. “I rather like you with bedhead,” Greylock declared matter-of-factly. 

Cedric didn’t know he could blush more, but he managed it. He stumbled out of bed and started to rather frantically get dressed.

“Cedric, I truly don’t mind that we spent the night in the same bed,” Greylock assured him. 

“I  _ do  _ mind,” Cedric said. 

Greylock said nothing. Cedric looked at him briefly, and he seemed rather deflated. “Oh…”

Cedric rushed to finish dressing, and he left without another word. He hastened to his workshop, nearly running through the halls. When he was finally safe inside, he leaned his body weight against the closed door. 

_ Fuck.  _ How had that happened? How had he fallen asleep in Greylock’s bed, and not woken up until the sun was already up? 

It was a small blessing that Greylock wasn’t bothered. At least there was that. But Cedric was quite bothered, in more ways than one– he still felt the ghost of Greylock’s warmth around him, Greylock’s scent lingering on his clothes. Cedric rushed upstairs to take a bath, tossing his rumpled clothes far away from him as he discarded them. Once in the bath, he scrubbed himself quite a bit more violently than needed. More than anything, Cedric wanted to get rid of the guilty enjoyment that was deep in his flesh, permeating to his bones. His body told him he wanted to be there in bed with Greylock, that he wanted to do much more than cuddle and sleep. Cedric pointedly ignored that his cock was half hard, and he hoped to the Gods that it was just an unfortunate case of morning wood.

Cedric gritted his teeth and focused on washing himself. He pushed down all thoughts of Greylock and how lovely it was to wake up in his arms, and the way he looked in only an undershirt, and his groggy morning voice– He kept his mind carefully blank. 

* * *

Early that afternoon, Cedric was startled by a knock at his door. 

“Yes?” he asked. 

“It’s Greylock. May I come in?” 

Cedric blushed.  _ Shit.  _ “Y-yes,” he replied. “It’s unlocked.”

Greylock walked in. “Cedric, you left this in my room,” he said, holding up the book that Cedric had brought last night. Greylock walked towards Cedric and placed it on the desk beside him. “I just thought I would return it.”

Cedric looked from the book to Greylock. “Oh. Thank you.”

Greylock frowned slightly. “Cedric, I’m… Sorry. About last night.”

Cedric looked away. “You did nothing wrong.”

“I hate to have made you uncomfortable.”

“Again, you did nothing– I was the one who fell asleep in your bed.”

“I’m still… I feel badly.”

“Don’t.”

“I didn’t realize–”

“–Greylock,” Cedric interrupted firmly, “I’d rather we don’t talk about it anymore.” He sighed. “Please,” he finished more quietly.

Greylock said nothing for a moment. “Oh,” he said softly. He shuffled awkwardly. “I’ll… leave you be, then.” 

Cedric held his tongue, lest he start begging Greylock to stay. Saying nothing and continuing to look away from Greylock was far safer. 

Greylock walked towards the door and opened it. Cedric didn’t hear the door close immediately, so he knew that Greylock was lingering in the doorway for a moment. Cedric could feel the other man’s eyes on him. Finally, Greylock left and closed the door behind him. 

Cedric let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding and smacked his head onto the desk. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baileywick is just like "Yes, Cedric. We know, Cedric."
> 
> Don't mind me, I'm just fleshing out the magic system of a children's show for the purpose of making a stupid innuendo in my gay wizard fan fiction. 
> 
> When Cedric arrives at Greylock's room, Greylock is playing the Andante molto from Clara Schumann's 3 Romances for violin and piano, Op. 22... obviously without piano tho lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q_BaQ_0eTc   
> Also Greylock is that bitch who uses a towel instead of a chin rest. That's literally so canon.  
> I'm sorry for being such a nerd. I'm about to graduate with a music degree and I have to use that shit for something, ya feel?
> 
> Yes this fic is almost done. I can finally go back to living my life normally instead of spending all my waking hours descending further into Cedlock brain rot. 
> 
> Okay see ya in a day or two when I dump the next chapter onto your laps like King Magnus giving King Roland another bust of himself


	11. It's you forever more

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> Baileywick canonically plays this viola-looking-type-thing (see Mystic Meadows), so I really wanted to have Baileywick and Greylock play a duet together! I didn't choose a piece for what they're playing when Cedric shows up, but then they play the Allegro of Mozart's Duo for Violin and Viola No. 1. Here's a recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzemq3bpz54
> 
> Then Greylock is a total show-off and he plays Paganini's 24th caprice. Here's Hilary Hahn absolutely DECIMATING it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcL0IsklM3M  
> Greylock is probably not as good as Hilary Hahn (because who tf is), but he'd still nail it.

For the rest of the day, the following night, and the morrow, Cedric pined alone in his workshop. Greylock didn’t come to see him, which was at once a blessing and a curse. He was alone with his feelings and his raven, who wasn’t very helpful in these matters. Wormwood seemed almost exasperated by Cedric’s lovesick wallowing. Cedric let the whole day go by in his Weltschmerz, almost revelling in the feeling, when suddenly someone knocked at his door. 

“Who is it?” he asked, his tone dripping with angst. 

“It’s Sofia!” said a young voice outside his door. 

“What do you want, Princess?” he asked. 

The girl opened the door. “Baileywick and Mr. Greylock are playing music together in the ballroom! You _need_ to come hear; they’re really good!” 

Cedric’s eyes widened. That did sound interesting. And, Gods, was Greylock’s violin playing something worthy of worship… But no, he could not– it would be too painful for him to watch. “Oh, Princess Sofia, I’d really better stay here; I have so much to do…”

Sofia wasn’t having it. She rushed to his desk and took his hand forcefully, tugging on his arm. “Come on, Mr. Cedric! You need to hear it!”

Cedric allowed himself to be dragged out of his workshop by the young Princess. “Oh, alright,” he said mopily. Part of him wanted to be there and experience Greylock’s playing just so that he could fall deeper into his hopeless love for the man; just so that he would have more to be heartsick about later. 

Sofia strung him along all the way to the ballroom. From down the hall, he could indeed hear music– he could hear a violin and a viola. The two of them were playing something rather simple and pleasant. 

“Here we are,” Sofia said, finally letting go of Cedric once he was inside the ballroom’s doors. “Now isn’t this nice? Maybe you’ll be extra in love with Mr. Greylock now!” she said to him quietly. 

Cedric felt like throwing himself against the wall with an _‘Alas!’_ or two, but he contented himself to sigh. “Oh, Princess… If only you knew.”

Sofia giggled and skittered to join her family. 

There was a rather large crowd amassed in the ballroom, probably attracted by the sound of the music. At the front of the hall, on the small stage, stood Greylock with his violin and Baileywick with his viola. They each had a music stand in front of them, though they spent a great deal of time looking at each other as well. 

Cedric’s heart leapt as he watched Greylock. His expression was focused but cheerful, his eyebrows drawn slightly upwards and together, and a small smile on his lips. Cedric noticed he was wearing a monocle; Cedric supposed that he had made a trip to the royal eye doctor, like he mentioned he would. Greylock looked so damn good, too– not that this was of any surprise. 

The song ended soon thereafter, and the crowd applauded. The two men onstage briefly discussed what to play next, shuffling through the music on their stands. Soon enough, they decided, and resumed their stances. 

They began to play something a lot faster that sounded quite a bit more challenging. Both parts were quite impressive, and Baileywick was quite the musician, but Cedric felt that Greylock stood out quite a bit. He simply exuded musicality. His phrasing was immaculate, and every note he played was given its own special treatment; its own place in the piece as a whole. Cedric was well aware of his own bias, however. 

He watched and listened with rapt attention as the two men played– they made a very good duo. Cedric was almost jealous of Baileywick for the chemistry he had with Greylock on the stage. It was as if they breathed as one being. Luckily, Greylock was straight, and Cedric didn’t have to worry about him falling in love with the steward. 

But Greylock was _straight,_ and he couldn’t fall in love with Cedric, either– that was the unfortunate other side of the coin. This beautiful man who played like a God was forever out of Cedric’s grasp.

As they finished, the hall erupted in applause and cheers. Baileywick and Greylock bowed their heads in thanks. 

“Unfortunately, I have to get back to work, now,” Baileywick told the crowd. “But I’m sure everyone would love for you to continue, Greylock.”

The hall was filled with various enthusiastic affirmations. Baileywick turned to Greylock with a smile. “Well, there’s your answer,” the steward said. “I’ll leave you to it.” Baileywick stepped offstage to put away his viola. 

Greylock adjusted his monocle. “Well, I suppose I could play one more piece for you all,” he said with false reluctance. 

There were more hollers of excitement as Greylock got ready, adjusting the position of his chin. He closed his eyes for a moment, readying himself. Greylock raised his bow and began to play. 

This piece was in sharp contrast with the last one– it was immediately quick and complex, allowing Greylock to show off shamelessly. And he did, with gusto, his fingers racing over the fingerboard. Cedric was in awe. The music changed to a variation of the music heard previously. It sounded even more difficult, requiring Greylock to play quickly and very high. Cedric could feel himself becoming more infatuated with the man with every measure of music that passed. 

He saw Baileywick approaching him, carrying his viola case. Baileywick leaned in very close. “He’s incredible, Cedric. You’re a lucky man,” he muttered. 

Cedric blushed as Baileywick left. He _would_ be a very lucky man. Instead, he was a very distraught and lovelorn man who could do nothing but yearn and pine as he leaned against a pillar near the ballroom’s doors, watching Greylock.

The piece had Greylock playing multiple notes at once, which Cedric knew was possible, but Greylock was achieving it at an incredible pace. The music became more and more elaborate and technical, but Greylock played it with a startling amount of ease that could have convinced Cedric that this piece was not that difficult at all, if Cedric couldn’t see the lightning-fast pace at which the fingers of Greylock’s left hand flitted over the strings. At some point, he had to do… some kind of technique that involved hitting the strings with the wrong part of his bow, but Cedric had not paid enough attention in music class to know what Greylock was doing, but it was mind-blowing. The whole thing was just that: mind-blowing. And attractive, though Greylock could do anything and make it attractive. 

The music grew even more complex until Greylock finished the piece with a flourish. After a moment of stunned silence, the hall filled once again with cheers and applause. Greylock grinned and gave a small bow. “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen,” he said to the crowd. 

Cedric slunk out, ready to go back to brooding in his workshop. He’d seen and heard quite enough to fuel another round of moping. He dragged his feet all the way there, and slammed his workshop door behind him. He let out a mournful sigh and walked towards the window. He opened it, needing the calm of the cool, fresh evening air. Cedric watched the sunset, dwelling in his infatuation.

* * *

Some time later, he heard a knock at his door. Was it Sofia or Baileywick, come to bug him about Greylock again? 

“Who is it?” he asked exasperatedly. 

“It’s Greylock. May I please come in?”

Cedric turned pale. “Must you?” he asked.

He didn’t know how Greylock would react to this, but he didn’t expect Greylock to push the door open and waltz in without permission. “Yes, I must,” he said, closing the door behind him.

Cedric looked at Greylock in surprise. 

Greylock walked towards him. “What’s going on, Cedric?” he asked gently as he approached. 

“N-nothing,” Cedric lied. 

Greylock raised an eyebrow. “I know that’s not true. Please, tell me what’s wrong.”

Cedric looked away again. “There’s nothing to tell you. I’m fine, Greylock.”

“Don’t lie to me, Cedric. I want to know. You’ve been avoiding me, and when I’ve seen you, you seem distant. Is it my fault? Have I done something wrong?”

Cedric shook his head. “No, you’ve done nothing.”

“It is because of what happened the other night?” Greylock asked. 

The younger man blushed at being reminded. He said nothing. 

“I don’t want that to drive a wedge between us,” Greylock pleaded. “We can pretend it never happened.”

Cedric shook his head. “You don’t understand.”

“Of course I don’t understand,” Greylock said, a little exasperated. “That’s why I’m here– I want to understand.”

Cedric bit his lip. “I’m sorry, Greylock, I… can’t tell you.”

“Why not? I’m your friend, Cedric. You can tell me anything.”

Cedric walked away from the window. He couldn’t be so close to Greylock. “It’s _because_ you are my friend that I can’t tell you.”

“What on Earth is that supposed to mean?”

“I tell you, you won’t want to be friends with me anymore.”

Greylock was silent for a moment. “Why do you think that?”

“I _know_ it, Greylock.”

“Let me make that decision for myself.”

Cedric shook his head. His heart was heavy. “Our friendship means too much to me.”

“If that’s the case, then why have you been avoiding me for two days straight?!”

“Because– Because I…” Cedric trailed off. His confession died on the tip of his tongue. 

“For Gods’ sake, Cedric, just say it! You can’t leave me in suspense like this!”

Cedric closed his eyes. He forced his mouth to form words. “Because I… Have feelings for you, Greylock.”

The utterance hung heavy in the air. Cedric’s heart pounded in his chest, his pulse throbbing in his ears. There was silence. 

“...What?”

Cedric swallowed. “I love you.”

He braced himself for the venom, the slurs, the denouncement. But none came. There was only Greylock’s stunned silence. 

“I… I’m afraid I don’t understand,” Greylock said at last. 

Cedric turned to the other man in exasperation. “Don’t make me say it again– I’ve humiliated myself enough already.”

Greylock tilted his head. His face was lacking the disgust or pity that Cedric had been dreading. It held only complete and utter confusion, which was somehow worse. 

“Cedric, I… I know that you have feelings for me,” Greylock said, slowly and deliberately.

Cedric’s eyes widened. “Wh-what? What d-do you mean you _know?!”_

The other man’s befuddlement persisted. “I mean, I… I figured that was an established fact, seeing as we’ve been courting each other for the past couple of weeks.”

Cedric’s brow furrowed. _“Courting?!”_

Greylock blushed a little. “Yes…? You… Mean to tell me that you… Didn’t know that?”

Cedric only blinked. “No…?”

“You… Thought all this was a regular platonic friendship.’ 

“You’re telling me it’s not?”

Greylock laughed nervously. “Good Gods, no! No, we’ve– Well, I suppose _I’ve_ been working towards a romantic relationship with you. Apparently that wasn’t what you were doing.”

“So you… have feelings for me, too?”

Greylock cocked his head to the side. “Yes…? You knew that; I told you that!”

Cedric reached a new level of absolute stupefaction. “What?! When?!”

“At the Royal Jubilee!” Greylock said as if it was obvious. “I told you that I liked you, that I’d liked you since we were at Hexley Hall!” 

He remembered the exact moment Greylock was referring to. “I thought you meant that you liked me as a friend!”

Greylock brushed his hair back with his hand. “No! Why would I have made such a big deal of confessing to you that I liked you as a _friend?!”_

“Because I didn’t know you liked me at all! Until the Royal Jubilee, I thought you hated me!”

“Even if you thought that I meant that as an offer of mere friendship,” Greylock continued, “were you not suspicious of the way I’ve treated you? Have you not noticed that I have been flirting with you non-stop in every way possible?!”

“I… thought you were just being very friendly. I thought that was how you treated people you liked.”

Greylock rubbed his forehead. “No, you dimwit– I’ve been trying to– to woo you! Fucksake!” 

Cedric crossed his arms. “How was I supposed to know that?! You weren’t being very clear with your intentions.”

Greylock scoffed. “I wrote you a love song, Cedric!”

“I didn’t know it was a love song.”

“What else could it have been? A fucking friendship song?!”

“I thought you liked women!”

“I do! But I like men, too! It’s called being bisexual, you dolt!”

Cedric blinked. “Really?”

“Cedric, I’ve been infatuated with you since I was fifteen years old!” Greylock said emphatically. 

He blushed. “You… have?”

“Yes, for crying out loud– I’ve been trying to flirt with you since then, too.”

“What about that girl Prudence?”

“I gave up on you after a while, and focused on other prospects. After Hexley Hall, too, I was in other relationships. I’ve had a few lovers– men and women. But seeing you again at the school reunion, all grown up– It renewed my feelings for you. And I knew I had to try again, harder than before.”

Cedric was flattered. “I… I had no idea.”

“So I’ve just learned.” He sighed. “Gods, I was trying so, so hard to win your heart. I’ve never worked so hard for something in my life. I’ve never wanted something as desperately as I’ve wanted your love, Cedric. How long have you felt this way about me?!”

“I realized it a few nights ago when you arrived at the castle, but in truth I began to have feelings for you at the Royal Jubilee. I was simply deep in denial.”

Greylock sighed. “And so you’ve been suppressing this, thinking I could never return your feelings because I only like women?”

“Precisely. Greylock, why did you never think to clarify any of this with me? Simply tell me?!”

Greylock rubbed the back of his neck. “I didn’t realize there was anything unclear. And I thought you wanted to take this slowly?”

“Wherever did you get that idea?”

“Because you were reluctant to even call me your friend at first.”

“That’s because you called me ‘Bedsick’ for thirty years, you idiot!”

Greylock looked down. “I suppose that’s true. So… You don’t want to go slowly?”

 _“Fuck_ no!” Cedric exclaimed. “I’d have probably sucked your cock at the Royal Jubilee if you’d have just asked me nicely! Do _you_ want to go slowly?”

“After lusting after you for over half my life?! Absolutely not!”

The two men stared at each other for a moment, not speaking. The realization that the both of them were on the same page sunk it. All of a sudden, Greylock rushed towards the other sorcerer and grabbed his cheeks. In a swift motion, he pressed his lips firmly against Cedric’s.

Cedric’s eyes widened in shock for a moment and his heart leapt in his chest. He then felt the biggest wave of relief he’d ever experienced; it washed away the pain and the yearning and the turmoil and the confusion. He hummed, letting his eyes close, and he kissed Greylock in return. His hands ran up the shorter man’s back, his fingers clutching at his robe.

They heard a caw, and the two men broke away in shock. It was Wormwood, and he was flying out of the open window. 

Cedric laughed. “I suppose he wanted to give us some privacy.”

Greylock looked out the window to watch the raven for a moment. “I suppose he did.” He turned back to Cedric and smiled, bringing crinkles to the corners of his eyes. “Oh, Cedric… We’ve been such fools, haven’t we?”

Cedric smiled as well. “We have.”

Greylock chuckled. “Gods, I’m so madly in love with you,” he said, and he kissed Cedric again. 

Cedric sighed into the kiss, relishing the press of Greylock’s soft, warm lips against his own. It was even more perfect than he’d dreamed; and the butterflies it brought to his stomach were even more intense. Greylock reached down to grab one of Cedric’s hands. Once he did, he broke the kiss and brought Cedric’s hand upwards. 

“Do you wear these gloves just to prevent me from kissing your hands?” Greylock asked. 

Cedric laughed.”No, though that’s an unwanted side effect.” He hurriedly removed his fingerless gloves, shoving them in the pocket of his robe. “Here,” he said, offering his now bare hands to Greylock. 

The older man smiled. “Much better.” He took Cedric’s right hand in his own, and brought it to his lips. He kissed Cedric’s knuckles as he had done several times before, but now he did so with so much more passion– His eyes were closed and his brow furrowed, and a desire was evident in his kiss. He pressed his lips to the back of Cedric’s hand, next– He opened his eyes to look up at Cedric as he did so. 

Cedric let out a shaky breath. “Oh, Greylock…” he whispered. 

Greylock flipped Cedric’s hand over to kiss the heel of his hand, then his wrist. He then placed Cedric’s palm against his cheek, pressing it there firmly. When he let go, Cedric left his hand there, still cupping his cheek, one thumb sliding over the soft skin. He could feel fine stubble when he moved against the grain of the hair. Greylock moved forward and kissed Cedric on the lips yet again. 

This kiss was different, though– the first had been desperate, the second experimental; Greylock seemed to know what he was dealing with, now, and made the best of his knowledge. Cedric felt Greylock’s tongue slide questioningly against his own, and Cedric couldn’t help but moan softly as he opened his mouth more. Greylock deepened the kiss yet further, his tongue rubbing against Cedric’s slowly, deliberately. Greylock pushed Cedric backwards slightly, until Cedric’s rear bumped against his desk; he pushed himself off the ground and sat on the edge of it. Greylock pressed forward still, and Cedric parted his legs to accommodate him.

The older sorcerer broke the kiss again, leaving Cedric yearning for more. Greylock chuckled to himself. “I can’t believe that after all these years, I’m finally kissing you. It’s surreal.”

Cedric smirked, running his hands over Greylock’s chest. “I can’t believe it, either, truly. I hated you, not too long ago.”

“Am I ever lucky that changed.” He kissed the tip of Cedric’s nose, then his cheek.

Cedric sighed in satisfaction, letting his eyes close once again. He gripped tightly onto Greylock’s robe.

Greylock’s lips travelled over Cedric’s left cheek to his jaw, causing Cedric to tilt his chin upwards and to the right. He silently begged for Greylock to continue. His heart raced in anticipation. 

Finally, Greylock began to kiss Cedric’s neck, drawing a sharp inhale from him. With one hand he fumbled with Cedric’s necktie, eventually succeeding in untying it. He made his way down Cedric’s neck, and Greylock reached a spot that made Cedric gasp. Greylock paused there and began to suck on the flesh, and Cedric moaned aloud, his eyes squeezing shut. 

Greylock pulled away. “Gods, Cedric, the sounds you’re making– You don’t know what you do to me,” he muttered. His normally high voice was uncharacteristically deep, almost a grumble. His eyes were darkened, his pupils blown. 

“I’m sure you can tell exactly what you’re doing to me.” Cedric felt that his whole body was alight with desire. 

The other man smirked. He undid the top two buttons of Cedric’s shirt, his agile fingers making quick work of it. Greylock tugged at Cedric’s collar, exposing the base of his neck. He pressed his lips to the spot where his neck and shoulder met, sucking the flesh into his mouth. Cedric cried out. 

“Ah, Greylock, please–” He knew not what he was pleading for, but he did so anyway. The older man hummed against his skin. _More,_ Cedric thought– He wanted Greylock’s lips all over his body. 

Greylock’s hand settled on Cedric’s inner thigh, and the younger man moaned. Greylock kissed his way back up the side of Cedric’s neck, climbing to his jaw. He softly bit at Cedric’s earlobe, then traced the tip of his tongue around the shell of his ear. Cedric whined as a delightful shiver ricocheted through his whole body. 

_“Fuck,_ Greylock–” he whimpered. 

“Oh, Cedric, I love you,” Greylock growled in his ear. 

“I- I love you, too.”

Greylock lunged forward and kissed Cedric hungrily, his mouth open. His fingers splayed into Cedric’s hair, putting slight pressure on the back of his head. Greylock sighed into Cedric’s mouth, one hand rubbing Cedric’s thigh. Cedric kissed him back just as desperately, hot need swelling in the pit of his stomach. Greylock gently nibbled on Cedric’s lower lip before letting him go. Greylock’s breath was hot and quick against his face. His eyes were dark with lust, and yet they retained that contented warmth that Cedric had seen many times before. He realized now that this was love in Greylock’s eyes– had been all along. Greylock kissed the other side of Cedric’s neck, quickly finding the sweet spot and sucking gently on the skin. Cedric sighed, bringing his knees closer together until they touched Greylock’s body. He titled his head back, half-lidded eyes wandering the room, unfocused. Suddenly, his gaze landed on the portrait of his parents, and he froze, his eyes widening and the blood draining from his face. 

“W-wait, Greylock–” 

Greylock pulled away from Cedric with a soft wet sound.

“My parents,” Cedric said quickly.

“Hmm?” Greylock pushed Cedric’s hair back with his fingers.

“The portrait of my parents. It’s enchanted.”

Greylock froze, and his eyes widened to match Cedric’s. He backed away from Cedric as if the man was on fire. “Oh, Gods,” Greylock muttered. “Are they… They’re not _always_ watching, are they?”

Cedric shook his head. “No, of course not– they have their own lives to lead. But they do check up on me from time to time.”

“Can you tell if they saw us?”

Cedric shook his head. “I don’t know; I’d have to ask.”

 _“Shit,”_ Greylock muttered, fixing his hair. “Your father will have my head, won’t he?”

The other sorcerer swallowed, staring at the portrait in terror. “Perhaps…”

The older man backed up yet further. “I–I should go.”

Cedric wanted to object, but it was true; he probably should. He nodded as Greylock rushed out of his workshop, quickly closing the door behind him. 

With a sigh, Cedric stood up from his desk. His heart was still pounding and his body still hummed with desire and excitement. 

Greylock loved him. Greylock wanted him just as much as he wanted Greylock– and they desired each other with the same fiery passion. The way the older man had kissed him convinced him of that, and the way Greylock looked at him like he was the only person he could ever have eyes for… But there was the pressing issue of Cedric’s parents having potentially been witnesses of what he and Greylock had just done. He needed to speak to his mother as soon as possible to figure out what she did and did not see. 

But first, he needed to calm down. He walked back over to the open window, hoping the fresh air would cool the heat in his blood. He buttoned up to the collar of his shirt and retied his necktie as he took deep breaths, trying not to think of how much he’d rather be with Greylock, exploring their newfound love for each other. He chuckled with amusement at the whole situation; how he and Greylock had been unknowingly pining over each other due to spectacularly poor communication. It was quite funny, in retrospect.

Eventually, Cedric had calmed down and gathered himself enough that he felt ready to confront his mother. He took a deep breath and stood in front of the portrait. 

“Hello, Mum?” he started nervously. There was no answer. “Hello?” He waved at the portrait. Still nothing. Maybe they weren’t even home at all?

However, in a moment, Cedric’s mother materialized from the painting. 

“Hello, Cedric, dear,” she said, smiling. “How are you?”

“I’m well, Mum– how are you?”

“I’m very well, thank you. Was there any particular reason you wished to talk to me?”

“Yes, I…” Cedric rubbed the back of his neck. “I wanted to know if you and Father… Saw anything.”

Winifred nodded. “I saw that there was a man, and you two were… Kissing rather enthusiastically. As soon as I realized what was going on, though, I walked away.”

Cedric blushed. “And Father?”

She shook her head. “He saw nothing; I made sure of it.”

Cedric sighed in relief. “Thank the Gods. And thank _you.”_

Winifred smiled slightly. “Who is this man, Cedric? Have you been involved with him for long?”

The sorcerer was quite surprised at his mother’s lack of negative reaction. “No, I… we only just began a relationship.”

“Oh, I see! How nice. What’s his name?”

“That’s… Greylock, Mum,” Cedric answered.

Winifred’s face lit up. “Oh, really! You did tell me that you and him were getting along very well. Does he treat you properly? No more teasing?”

“Yes, he treats me very well. And his teasing… It turns out he was just trying to flirt with me back then.”

His mother chuckled. “Really? Well, I’m very happy you got it all sorted out. It does seem that you love each other very much.”

Cedric flushed. “Mum, you’re not… upset?”

“Upset? Whatever would I have to be upset about?”

“That I’m with a man?”

Winifred chuckled. “Oh, Ceddy-kins, I’m not upset at all! I’ve known you were interested in men since you were a teenager.”

Cedric turned redder. “Y-you have?”

“I’m not _stupid,_ Cedric.”

“And Father?”

“Oh, I’m sure he’s figured it out by now. Though I won’t tell him about Greylock– it’s up to you if and when you want to tell him.”

Cedric was relieved. “I’m… So happy to hear that. It means a lot that you’re so accepting.”

“Of course, dear! I just want you to be happy, and if Greylock makes you happy, then he has my blessing and my love.”

“Oh, Mum, I love you so much,” Cedric said, hugging his mother warmly.

She squeezed him in return. “I love you too, Cedric.” She held him at arms’ length. “I’d better get back before your Father becomes suspicious.”

Cedric nodded. “Alright. Thank you again.”

“Don’t mention it, darling,” said Winifred as she walked towards the painting. “Goodbye, now!”

“Bye, Mum!”

She returned into the painting in a glimmer. Cedric smiled to himself. What a relief. Cedric’s parents wouldn’t behead Greylock after all.

He immediately knew he had to go see the other sorcerer. He wanted to tell Greylock the good news, but more than that, he wanted to continue where he’d left off with him. 

Before he left, however, he took a rather long bath, as he thought that was a smart precaution to take before making his way to Greylock’s bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE LOSERS FINALLY GOT THEIR SHIT TOGETHER WAHOO!!
> 
> Greylock is like "Cedric I played Pag 24 for you... What else do you want from me?"
> 
> Note: we’re pretending Cedric and Greylock are real people with real human proportions. I’m not dealing with the logistics of making out with cartoon noses
> 
> The last chapter is essentially just smut so yeah, look forward to that I guess! Or stop reading now if you're not a degenerate like me.


	12. I've really never been in love before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HERE IT IS FOLKS! THE LAST CHAPTER!
> 
> This chapter is 90% straight up smut. It gets a lil kinky, but nothing super hardcore. So enjoy?

Soon enough, Cedric was knocking at Greylock’s door.

“Who is it?” Greylock called from inside. 

“It’s Cedric.”

Cedric heard Greylock cast an unlocking spell. Cedric opened the door and walked in. Greylock was laying on the bed in only his pants and shirt, reading a book and petting Freya who was curled up beside him. Cedric closed and locked the door behind him. 

“Well? Are your parents out for my blood?” Greylock asked.

“No,” Cedric said. “I spoke to my mother, and she said that she saw what was going on and immediately walked away, and she said she made sure my father was distracted so that he wouldn’t happen upon the sight as well. My mother apparently already knew that I was gay, and she’s… happy for me. She said that as long as you make me happy, we have her blessing.”

Greylock smiled. “That’s… That’s lovely. And a very pleasant surprise.”

“Indeed.”

“Well,” Greylock said, getting up. “I suppose you didn’t come here solely to tell me what your mother thinks of me, did you?”

Cedric smirked. “No, I didn’t.”

Greylock placed his book on the desk. He smirked as well. “Good.” Greylock walked over to Cedric, and he had that confounded look on his face that drove Cedric crazy. Cedric’s heart pounded in anticipation.

Greylock cupped Cedric’s cheek gently and brought their mouths together once again, drawing a contented sigh from Cedric. Greylock’s other hand settled possessively on Cedric’s waist. Cedric buried his fingers in Greylock’s hair– It was just as soft as he had thought it would be.

They spent a solid minute standing there and kissing. As time went on, they became more desperate, and their hands wandered more boldly over each other’s bodies. 

At length, Greylock pulled away. “Come to bed?” he asked breathlessly. 

Cedric blushed. “Yes, of course.” 

Greylock smiled and took Cedric’s hand, leading him the short way across the room to the bed. They sat down on the edge of the bed, and Greylock started kissing Cedric again in slow, drawn-out motions. His lips and tongue were gentle against Cedric’s, but the heavy, sensual touch of his hands betrayed his true intentions. When he broke the kiss, he fixed Cedric with a sultry gaze that made Cedric’s heart miss a beat. 

“You’re wearing entirely too much clothing right now,” Greylock muttered, and began to undo Cedric’s necktie as he’d done earlier. 

“Mm, and how much clothing would you prefer me to wear?” Cedric asked impishly. 

“None at all,” Greylock answered, pulling Cedric’s necktie off. Greylock looked up to make eye contact with the other man. “You understand that I want to make love to you, right? That’s clear?”

Cedric scoffed. “Yes, Greylock– I might have been oblivious to your flirting, but I’m not a virgin.”

Greylock smirked. “Good. Because I’d quite like to fuck you senseless.”

The words were startlingly natural coming out of Greylock’s mouth. “I’ll be holding you to those words.”

Greylock chuckled. “I knew you were a brat.” He pushed Cedric’s robe off his shoulders. 

“I don’t enjoy broken promises.”

“I never make promises I don’t intend to keep,” Greylock said with a wink. He began to unbutton Cedric’s vest. He had such quick fingers. 

Soon enough, Cedric was only in his shirt and trousers, as Greylock was. They took the opportunity to kiss again– more wantonly, with notably less care and restraint. Greylock was an animal like this. He got to work unbuttoning Cedric’s shirt, his mouth still pressed greedily to Cedric’s. 

Suddenly, there was a soft meow from the foot of the bed. Greylock pulled away from Cedric and sighed.

“Freya, my dear,” he said to his cat, “If you would be so kind as to wait in the bathroom for a moment?”

Freya meowed again. “You’re right; much longer than a moment,” admitted Greylock, standing up. “But Cedric and I have some rather important business to attend to.”

A reluctant Freya was led to the en suite bathroom. “Thank you,” Greylock said, and closed the door. He turned back to Cedric, who was taking off his shoes. “My apologies. I certainly hope that shall be our last interruption.”

Cedric laughed. “I do, too.” 

Greylock returned, unbuttoning his shirt as we walked. He dropped it onto the ground before climbing back onto the bed, crawling towards Cedric. He went back to work removing Cedric’s shirt. Once it was unbuttoned, he pulled it off impatiently and tossed it on the floor.

Greylock hummed and started kissing Cedric’s neck, much as he’d done earlier in Cedric’s workshop. But now when he kissed the base of Cedric’s neck, he sucked hard on the flesh, until Cedric was sure it would bruise. Greylock pulled away with a wet sound and admired his handiwork. “That will be covered by your shirt collar. I’d truly like to leave a mark where everyone could see, but I don’t want there to be any rumours.”

Cedric blushed. “You’d want everyone to know what I’ve been up to?”

“Why, yes,” Greylock said. “I should like to make it glaringly obvious that I’ve had my way with you. Though, once I’m done, your inability to walk straight should advertise that quite well.”

“You keep saying these things, Greylock. For your own sake, you’d better deliver.”

Greylock kissed up Cedric’s neck again. “Be careful what you wish for, Cedric,” he growled right next to Cedric’s ear before nipping his earlobe. 

Cedric whined, his eyes fluttering closed. “Oh, Greylock–”

Greylock hummed. “Feel what you’ve done to me, already,” he said, reaching for one of Cedric’s hands. He brought it to his upper left thigh and pressed it firmly to his flesh. 

The younger man’s eyes widened. Greylock was quite erect; there was a thick, hard protrusion that strained against his pant leg. Greylock brought Cedric’s hand up and down the length of it. “Feel that, Cedric? That’s all your fault.”

Cedric swallowed thickly. “I’m flattered.” He gently squeezed Greylock’s prick through his trouser leg, earning a throaty groan from the other man. 

Greylock took off his monocle and placed it on the nightstand. Then, he removed his undershirt in a smooth motion. Cedric’s face went hot at the sight of Greylock’s bare chest. He had a bit of a belly, and his torso was covered in a light smattering of chest hair. Why did Greylock have to be _exactly_ Cedric’s type? It was rather unjust, and made Cedric feel inferior in comparison. 

Greylock was grabbing at Cedric’s undershirt. “You’re making me do all the work undressing you, I see,” Greylock said as he pulled the garment over Cedric’s head and discarded it onto the floor. 

Cedric blushed slightly. “I suppose I am.”

“Ah, but it’s worth it,” Greylock said reverently, looking Cedric over. “You’re gorgeous.”

Cedric wasn’t anything of the sort; he knew that. He was far too skinny, and he was out of shape. He was altogether unremarkable, and–

The thought perished on the spot as Greylock took hold of both of Cedric’s nipples between his thumbs and the sides of his forefingers. Cedric cried out in a mix of shock and pleasure, his head tilting back. Greylock pressed an open-mouthed kiss to Cedric’s neck and moaned hungrily, rolling Cedric’s nipples in his fingers. Cedric’s toes curled in delight. 

Greylock let go of him at last, and stood up, looking at Cedric with that same reverence. He unbuttoned his trousers and let them fall to the floor. He stood there in his drawers, an erection tenting them rather obscenely, and let Cedric simply stare in awe. 

Cedric reached out slowly towards Greylock’s prick and squeezed it through his drawers. The other man gasped slightly at the contact, his hips twitching towards Cedric. Cedric stroked it, feeling its warmth and weight through the thin fabric. But after a moment, he couldn’t stand it anymore. He unbuttoned the flap of Greylock’s drawers and exposed his cock. 

His eyes widened a little as he saw it. “You weren’t bluffing the other day, when you said it was sizable.” 

Greylock chuckled. “I never bluff, Cedric.” 

Cedric had seen bigger cocks, but this one was certainly on the larger side. It left him nothing to complain about; not as far as its size or shape or anything else. And, most importantly, it was attached to Greylock. Cedric began to stroke it in earnest, drawing a grunt from the other man.

“Ah, yes–” Greylock muttered breathily. 

Cedric let go only to lower himself onto his stomach on the bed. He dragged himself towards Greylock until his face was but an inch away from the other’s cock. He looked up at Greylock through his eyelashes, his mouth falling open. 

A blush rose in Greylock’s face. He leaned forwards a bit until the tip of his prick touched Cedric’s lips. The younger sorcerer hummed and took about half of Greylock’s erection into his mouth, closing his eyes. 

“O-oh, Cedric–” Greylock stuttered. 

Cedric licked his way up to Greylock’s tip. Greylock was uncircumcised– Cedric supposed they had different customs in Rudistan. No matter; his technique was easily transferable. Cedric used the tip of his tongue to stimulate just behind the head of Greylock’s prick, pressing it there until he heard Greylock moan. He pulled further back to kiss the tip of it, feeling precome slick against his lips. 

_“Fuck…”_

Cedric smirked against the head before opening his mouth and taking the other’s cock into his mouth again. He hollowed his cheeks and began to suck.

Greylock sighed, a twinge of a moan creeping in towards the end. He rested one hand on the back of Cedric’s head, his fingers curling into the younger man’s hair. Cedric felt a kind of pride swell in his chest at the pleasure he was giving Greylock. He hummed around the other’s cock, his jaw opening more.

“Cedric, ah– Y-your mouth is… It’s magical.” Greylock started to thrust slowly, careful not to go too deep. Cedric would have grinned mischievously were his mouth not otherwise occupied. He had a trick up his sleeve, so to speak, and he only needed the right time to perform it. Cedric rested one of his hands on the small of Greylock’s back, silently beckoning him closer. Greylock’s thrusts became slightly deeper, the head of his cock nearly touching Cedric’s soft palate. Cedric relaxed his throat. _Almost…_ he thought in anticipation.

Finally, at the peak of one of Greylock’s thrusts, Cedric lurched forward, burying his nose into Greylock’s pubes. The head of Greylock’s prick struck his throat. 

The older man gasped in shock. “Ah, C-Cedric!” The fingers in Cedric’s hair gripped tighter. 

Cedric swallowed around the cock in his mouth and hummed. 

“Th-this doesn’t hurt you?!” Greylock asked.

The corners of Cedric’s mouth twitched upwards in an attempted smile. He approximated the sound of a negation, shaking his head as much as he could. 

“Do you even have a gag reflex?”

Cedric chuckled lowly, shaking his head again. 

“Gods, Cedric, just when I thought you couldn’t get anymore perfect– You’ve got no gag reflex.” Greylock chuckled. He pulled out of Cedric’s mouth only to thrust back in slowly until he was all the way in again. Greylock groaned. 

Cedric sucked harder, letting Greylock fuck his mouth. His thrusts became faster, and his moans grew louder and more frequent. Cedric began to wonder if Greylock was going to come deep in his throat, but instead the other man slowed down and pulled out of Cedric’s mouth. The younger sorcerer swallowed. His throat was quite raw– that was one thing he couldn’t get around. 

“As lovely as this is, Cedric,” Greylock said breathlessly, “I did promise you that I would fuck you senseless, and that you wouldn’t be able to walk properly after I was done with you. And if I let this go on much longer, I wouldn’t get around to that.”

Cedric smirked. Greylock took off his drawers and his socks before climbing back onto the bed. 

“You’re _still_ wearing far too much clothing,” Greylock said. 

Quite distracted by Greylock’s naked body, Cedric began to rectify that. He took his socks off and unbuttoned his trousers before standing. Greylock watched with interest as Cedric removed his trousers and drawers, finally standing nude in front of him. 

“Gods, Cedric,” Greylock muttered. “You’re beautiful. Come here,” he said, holding out his arms in invitation. Cedric clambered back onto the bed and into Greylock’s waiting arms. Greylock kissed him passionately, pressing Cedric’s body close to his own. He lay down, bringing Cedric with him. The feeling of his bare skin pressed flush against Greylock’s made Cedric’s heart leap in his chest, and a quiet moan escaped him. One of Greylock’s hands slid down Cedric’s back until he reached his ass– he firmly grabbed one of Cedric’s ass cheeks. The younger sorcerer gasped. 

Greylock broke the kiss. “This here,” he said, squeezing the flesh in his hand, “Has been driving me crazy. You know that? You know how much you swing your hips when you walk, and how damn _delicious_ your ass looks?”

Cedric blushed. “I… Thank you?”

Greylock scoffed. “You weren’t even doing it on purpose, were you?”

Cedric shook his head. “I mean, it’s not like I’ve never done it on purpose– but never to you, no.”

Greylock shook his head incredulously. “You’re something else, Cedric, really.” His hand slipped to the front of Cedric’s body and he took hold of Cedric’s cock, drawing a whimper from the younger sorcerer. Greylock stroked it in a tight fist, not breaking eye contact with his lover as he did so. Cedric felt so exposed like this, with Greylock looking deep into his eyes as he pleasured him. At first, he tried to keep his face as neutral as he could, and he bit his lip to contain whatever sounds he wanted to make. But as Greylock continued, he found it harder to control himself, and he realized that Greylock did not _want_ him to control himself. With that realization, he let his eyebrows draw together with a whimper, and he saw how it affected Greylock. He indulged whatever sounds rose to his throat, not breaking eye contact for longer than what it took to blink, and it was so intimate that he was almost overwhelmed. He murmured Greylock’s name like it was praise.

The other man smiled. “You’re so beautiful like this, Cedric. If only you could see what I see right now.” 

Cedric swallowed hard. “Fuck me, Greylock,” he asked quite suddenly.

The other man raised his eyebrows. “With pleasure,” he replied. He rolled over, pushing Cedric onto his back so that their positions were reversed. He gave Cedric a deep kiss on the lips before sitting up. Cedric spread his legs, bringing his knees towards his chest. 

Greylock licked his lips slightly at what he saw, but he turned away from Cedric to look for something on the nightstand. Cedric wondered if he had oil or something that would ease this, but he was surprised to see Greylock grab the wand Cedric had lent to him instead. 

With his free hand, Greylock held Cedric’s ass cheeks apart. He pointed the wand at Cedric’s hole. 

_“Lubricato,”_ he said, and Cedric felt a pleasant wetness form inside him. He gasped as Greylock dragged a thumb across his hole, now slick from Greylock’s spell. “Well, that worked beautifully,” Greylock muttered to himself, returning the wand to the bedside table. 

Cedric was blushing. “Where did you learn that?”

“You told me about that book you found in the library. I went to go read it myself. There’s some very useful stuff in there,” he answered with a smirk. 

“It does seem so.”

Greylock pressed an index finger to Cedric’s hole, applying just enough pressure that it began to sink in slowly. Cedric hummed at the pleasant intrusion. 

“Good?” Greylock asked. 

Cedric nodded. Whatever Greylock had done to him had made this entirely pain-free. 

Greylock’s finger was inside him all the way, then. His knuckles were against Cedric’s skin. Greylock was watching him closely to make sure he was enjoying this– which he was, thoroughly. 

“Yes, Greylock,” Cedric whispered, stretching his arms above his head. He held onto opposite forearms to keep his hands busy. 

The other sorcerer pulled his finger out and pushed it back inside, dragging his fingertip along Cedric’s walls the whole way.

Cedric shuddered. “Please, more!” he whined, the desperation in his voice surprising even himself. He watched Greylock as he removed his index finger, only to add his middle finger alongside the first. Pushing these two in was slightly more difficult, and he did so very slowly, allowing Cedric’s body to accommodate. 

Cedric let out a whimper, his voice rising in pitch. His legs spread yet further and he clenched around Greylock’s fingers. 

Greylock licked his lips. “I can tell you’re going to feel so good,” Greylock said; “so tight and warm. I can’t wait to be inside you.”

The younger man could only moan in reply. Greylock pushed in more, twisting his fingers around, separating them slightly. Then, Greylock brushed his fingers against Cedric’s prostate. Cedric’s eyes widened as he cried out. 

Greylock smiled devilishly. “That feel good?”

Cedric nodded, breathless. “Yes– Oh, _Gods_ , yes!”

The pads of Greylock’s skilled fingers rubbed that spot with alarming accuracy, drawing gasps and curses from the younger man. Cedric’s back was arched, his head tilting back against the pillow. At last, he could stand it no longer. 

“ _Fuck me,_ Greylock!” he begged. 

The other man stroked Cedric’s prostate one more time before pulling his fingers out. “Sweeter words have never been spoken,” he said with a smirk. 

Greylock shifted onto his knees. With one hand, he held onto Cedric’s waist; with the other, he steadied his own cock. 

Cedric closed his eyes, bracing himself to take Greylock. It would hurt a little, at first, in all likelihood. 

The thick head of Greylock’s prick pressed against his hole, and Cedric bit his lip in anticipation. He felt Greylock slowly and steadily put pressure on him. Greylock was the gentle type, it seemed. And very patient– this was what surprised Cedric the most. 

Finally, Greylock breached him, and was slowly pushing inside. “Let me know if I’m hurting you,” Greylock said gently. 

“You’re not hurting me,” Cedric assured him, his voice breathy. It felt so good already. 

“Good.” 

There was not a single twinge of pain as Greylock slid inside him, further and further. Finally, Greylock was all the way in, and the front of his thighs touched Cedric’s rear. The both of them moaned in unison. 

“Oh, Gods, Greylock…” Cedric breathed. 

“Th-this is still alright?” Greylock stammered. 

“Yes, more than alright!” 

Perhaps these were the effects of Greylock’s spell, as Cedric didn’t think he’d ever been penetrated so easily before. Either it was that, or he was getting old and loose– But no, Greylock’s prick was stretching him, it was just not painful in the least. It was comfortable, warm, and so, _so good._ Greylock didn’t move, allowing for Cedric’s body to adjust to the intrusion. 

“That spell you cast… Is heaven sent,” Cedric muttered. 

“Oh, I agree,” Greylock said, both his hands resting on Cedric’s waist. “Though it can’t take credit for how _perfect_ you feel. _So_ fucking tight, Cedric…” he groaned, his hips twitching. 

Cedric gritted his teeth and clenched his ass. “Then _fuck me,_ damn it!”

Greylock was jolted into action. He pulled out a little before starting to thrust back in, his pace already quite quick. 

Cedric moaned. _“Yes,_ Greylock!” 

Greylock’s thrusts were quite shallow to start with, almost teasingly so. Cedric arched his back with a whine. 

“You’re breathtaking, Cedric,” Greylock muttered, squeezing the other’s waist. “So beautiful like this.”

“Beautiful while I’m being fucked?” Cedric asked. 

“Oh, yes,” Greylock answered; “I’ve never seen someone look so stunning while being deflowered.”

Cedric smiled. “You’ve been treating me like a virgin, though, Greylock. I was promised more.”

“So impetuous,” Greylock chided. “You need to learn patience, Cedric.”

“Teach it to me, then,” Cedric returned.

Greylock was smirking. He slowed his thrusts to a cruelly lethargic pace, until he was barely moving. 

Cedric groaned. “Oh, Gods, no–” he objected, trying to move his hips against Greylock’s. The other man didn’t let him budge. 

“I can do this all night, Redbrick,” he teased. “I can torture you like this for as long as it takes.”

Cedric never thought that he’d _enjoy_ Greylock’s nicknames. He whimpered. “No, please– I need…”

“Your words, dear.”

“Faster, Greylock!” he pleaded. 

Greylock sped up so little that Cedric thought he was imagining it. He groaned. “Please, more!”

“No, I think I quite like this pace,” Greylock said. The look on his face was maddening. 

“Then deeper, at least!” Cedric begged. 

“Not yet.” Greylock enunciated the words very clearly. His smirk grew into a toothy grin.

Cedric whined. Greylock’s right hands slid up his torso to grab one of Cedric’s nipples, rolling it between his fingers. The younger sorcerer cried out, wiggling where he lay. 

“You quite like that, don’t you?”

Cedric nodded, licking his lips. 

Greylock hummed. “Good to know.”

Cedric reached down to touch his own cock, needing to do something to stop himself from going crazy. He wasn’t surprised to feel Greylock bat his hand away. 

“Absolutely not,” Greylock said indignantly. “I’ll have to do something about that.” Without pulling out of Cedric, he reached to the bedside table for his wand. “Do I need to restrain you?” he asked. “That is to say, would you like me to?” he clarified more quietly.

Cedric blushed. “Y-yes.”

“Great.” He gathered Cedric’s wrists together above the man’s head. Cedric pretended to put up a fight, but in reality, he was eager for Greylock to win. 

_“Bindus,”_ Greylock said, conjuring a rope which entwined itself around Cedric’s wrists. Cedric tried to move, but the knots wouldn’t budge. 

“Is that alright?” Greylock asked genuinely.

Cedric nodded. 

“Good. I should hope you’re starting to learn your lesson about patience, now.”

Cedric squirmed as he watched Greylock put his wand down. He clenched his ass again, making Greylock gasp slightly. Cedric chuckled at the reaction, and Greylock smiled. 

“You brat,” he said affectionately. He leaned over to kiss Cedric, open-mouthed and loving. 

Cedric hummed against his lips, and Greylock started thrusting again– still slow and shallow. He could do nothing about it but lay there and take what Greylock was giving to him, and accept what Greylock was not giving to him. He tried his best to be patient, even when Greylock broke the kiss and sat up more, only to touch his cheek tenderly. Cedric turned his face to kiss the palm of Greylock’s hand, still maintaining eye contact with him. 

Greylock smiled fondly. “I love you,” he said. 

Cedric was somewhat irritated that Greylock couldn’t decide whether to be a master or a lover, but he couldn’t really be that annoyed _._ Not at Greylock, and not now. He nuzzled into Greylock’s hand. “I love you, too.”

Greylock started to thrust faster. Cedric groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. “Oh, yes, _yes,”_ he drawled. 

“See what your patience has got you?”

Cedric hummed an affirmation. 

Greylock dotingly tapped the end of Cedric’s nose with his finger. “Good man,” he said.

The younger man looked down at where his own erection lay neglected against his stomach, and where Greylock’s prick plunged in and out of his body. It was an obscene sight– obviously, what other kind of sight would it be? It made him blush and lay his head back down on the pillow. 

Greylock smirked as they made eye contact again. “Look at you, Cedric– blushing like a bride. Are you sure this isn’t your first time?” 

Cedric’s face turned redder. “Shut up.”

Greylock laughed. “No, the looks you give me are too priceless. It’s so easy to fluster you.”

Cedric wanted to object, but he remembered how often he’d blushed around Greylock and he held his tongue, instead just enjoying the feeling of Greylock inside him. 

“Still good?” Greylock asked quietly.

“Yes, amazing,” Cedric answered. “And for you?”

“Heavenly,” he replied. “And I think you deserve for me to pick up the pace a little, don’t you think?”

Cedric’s eyes widened. “Yes, please.”

Greylock started to thrust faster, deeper– almost at a pace Cedric considered acceptable. Cedric tipped his head back against the pillow and let out a long moan. 

Greylock leaned over to kiss his neck possessively, a groan escaping him as he did so. 

“Yes, Greylock, please, this is so good…” His voice was breathless, hardly recognizable as his own.

Greylock continued, and Cedric saw sweat starting to gleam at his hairline. Cedric hadn’t considered how Greylock’s cruelly slow pace could have been affecting him… He had to commend the man for his endurance. 

“Please, just a little deeper,” Cedric begged. 

Greylock hummed. “Have you forgotten all about patience?” 

“But, surely, you must be aching to fuck me harder, too?”

The older man chuckled. “As I said, my darling: I could do this all night. I could leave you here alone and tied up on this bed, if I felt it necessary. I’ve already been waiting to do this for decades; what’s another couple hours to wait to finish the job?”

A couple hours?! No, he couldn’t mean it– But just in case he did, Cedric held his tongue. He focused on the slide of Greylock’s prick in and out of his body– the way was still slick from that blessed spell Greylock had cast earlier. It felt divine, and Cedric tried to convince himself that he could wait until Greylock decided to let him have that extra inch.

“Alright, that’s quite enough,” Greylock said after a minute. Cedric opened his mouth to ask what he meant, but the query died on his tongue as Greylock thrust into him to the hilt, Greylock’s hipbones touching Cedric’s ass. 

The both of them moaned at the same time, their eyes widening to a similar size. Greylock pulled out and thrust again to the same depth, and again, and again, until finally, he fell into a brisk rhythm. 

Cedric cried out in pleasure. _Finally._ Greylock’s prick filled him so deliciously, and his breakneck pace was exactly what Cedric had been needing. 

“Yes, Greylock, fuck me _just like that_ ,” he whined. His toes curled in pleasure. 

Greylock hummed. He lowered himself onto his elbows so that his face was just above Cedric’s. Cedric met Greylock’s eyes, and they were wild, unfocused, his pupils dilated to leave only a thin rim of hazel around them.

Suddenly, Greylock kissed Cedric with intensity, drawing a grunt from both of them. Greylock’s hips barely faltered as he did this, and as he pulled away. Greylock’s face was focused, indeed similarly to the way he looked while placing music, but there was a desperate hunger in his eyes that made Cedric weak. 

The slap of Greylock’s skin against Cedric’s was obscenely loud, and Cedric felt his climax approaching. He whined, looking deeply into Greylock’s eyes. Greylock was panting with exertion. 

“Greylock, please, don’t stop,” he muttered.

“I couldn’t if I wanted to,” Greylock admitted. 

Cedric wanted to reply, but all that came out was a whimper. His lower eyelids were twitching every time Greylock’s thrusts went in deep. Greylock kissed him again; his lips were cool from his open-mouthed panting.

When Greylock pulled away, Cedric moaned. “Fuck, I’m getting close–“ he muttered.

Greylock hummed. “I can’t wait to make you come, Cedric.”

Cedric whimpered, tugging on the rope that bound his hands together. It refused to budge– in fact, whatever way Cedric moved, it seemed as though it only tightened the knots, like the rope was reacting to his movements with a kind of sentience. Well, he didn’t need his hands.

“Do it, then,” Cedric said. He meant for it to be a provocation, but the tone of his voice made it sound like begging.

“Do what?” Greylock asked.

“Make me come. And fuck me senseless, like you promised earlier.”

The challenge ignited something in Greylock, unleashing his competitive spirit– Just as Cedric had hoped. Greylock’s eyes narrowed and he grabbed Cedric’s chin, forcing his mouth open. Greylock spat in Cedric’s mouth rather aggressively, making the younger sorcerer whine in arousal. 

“I’ll show you senseless,” Greylock snarled, letting go of Cedric’s chin.

 _Yes,_ Cedric thought. Greylock couldn’t resist a challenge. 

Greylock thrusted harder into Cedric, with so much force it was almost shocking. Greylock made a sound that could only be described as a growl.

“Oh, Gods, yes!” Cedric pleaded. He was so close. 

“Are you going to be good and come for me, Cedric?” Greylock asked.

Cedric nodded quickly. “Yes, Greylock!”

Greylock’s thrusts were powerful, almost knocking the wind out of Cedric. He groaned, tilting his head back against the pillow. 

Suddenly, Greylock grabbed hold of Cedric’s cock and began to stroke it to the rhythm of his thrusts. Cedric gasped, his back arching. 

_“Yes,”_ he pleaded breathily. “Fuck, Greylock, I’m so close!” 

“Finish for me, then, Cedric,” Greylock muttered.

Cedric whined as he came, his eyes rolling back. He felt his own semen soil his abdomen. Greylock continued to fuck him, muttering to Cedric how good he was and how perfect he felt, his voice getting higher and more desperate until finally Greylock came with a groan deep inside the younger man. Cedric felt warm wetness fill him and he sighed. 

Greylock didn’t move right away. He stayed inside Cedric as he recovered, breathing hard. Finally, he pulled out slowly. Cedric sighed at the loss. 

Greylock took his wand and cleaned up with a few _disappearo_ spells, lastly getting rid of the rope that bound Cedric’s wrists together. Greylock put the wand away before he laid down on the bed with a sigh, climbing under the covers. Cedric eagerly followed suit. 

“How was that for you?” Greylock asked, absent-mindedly rubbing Cedric’s back with one hand. 

“It was amazing,” Cedric answered earnestly. 

Greylock smiled. “I quite agree.” 

He snuggled closer to Cedric, his legs entwining with the other man’s. He grabbed one of Cedric’s hands and brought it to his face. He examined Cedric’s wrist, where the skin was rubbed slightly raw from the ropes. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I didn’t mean for this to happen,” he said, kissing Cedric’s wrist. 

“Don’t apologize; I quite enjoyed it,” he said with a smirk.

“I could tell,” Greylock replied. “But I still didn’t want to hurt you.”

Cedric scoffed. “Hurt me? Please– I’m not made of glass.”

Greylock smiled a little and moved further towards Cedric to kiss his forehead. “I know, but I love you.”

Cedric sighed. “I love you, too.”

Greylock kissed Cedric on the lips, softly and lovingly. Going to bed had curbed Greylock’s desperation, and he no longer kissed Cedric with the hunger of a starving man, but with pure satisfaction and contentment. Cedric hummed against Greylock’s lips. 

There was a meow and a scratching sound from inside the bathroom. Greylock pulled away from Cedric with a sigh and picked up the wand from the bedside table. He cast a spell to open the bathroom door to let Freya out. He put the wand back down immediately to snuggle up to Cedric. 

“You know,” Greylock started, “earlier, I thought that us sleeping in the same bed had made you so uncomfortable that you were rethinking being in a relationship with me. I thought it had been too much of a step forward for you, and that’s why you were avoiding me.”

“I enjoyed it very much. Far too much, I thought. I was avoiding you because I was worried about you discovering my feelings, and then you’d be disgusted that we spent a night in the same bed.”

Greylock hummed. “I’m glad we finally talked this out.”

“As am I.”

“With how stupid both of us were being, who _knows_ how long we could have gone on like that?”

Cedric chuckled. “What’s important is that we’ve figured it out now.”

Greylock nodded. “I agree.”

A moment passed in silence as the two men found the optimal position to cuddle in. Cedric’s head was nestled into Greylock’s chest. He heard the other man’s heartbeat, slow and steady.

Eventually, Cedric spoke again. “I was worried, too, that you would be in no state of mind to…” He trailed off. “Do this.”

“What do you mean?” Greylock asked, brushing Cedric’s hair back with his hand. 

“With all that’s happened to you recently.”

Greylock sighed softly. “I was worried about that, too. On the coach ride to Enchancia. I was scared for you to see me like that, and I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to continue courting you. I was also…” he looked away. “I thought you’d think less of me after that night, after I sobbed into your shoulder like a child.”

Cedric shook his head. “Absolutely not. It only made me feel closer to you. That was the night I finally realized I was in love with you, and admitted it to myself.”

Greylock smiled a little. He kissed Cedric’s hairline gently. “And I fell deeper in love with you that night, too. I knew you were a good friend, but that showed me how deeply you cared about me. You were willing to be by my side through my lowest moments, even though I… I was the cause of some of your greatest pain.”

Cedric nuzzled into Greylock’s chest, his nose touching Greylock’s collarbone. “That’s not true. You were not my worst bully.”

The older man scoffed. “I never intended to be a bully at all. I was just shit at flirting.”

Cedric chuckled. “You’ve gotten a little better.”

Greylock laughed softly and kissed Cedric’s shoulder. “It’s taken me a few decades, but I’ve finally figured out how to love you properly.”

Cedric smiled. “I would definitely say that you’ve loved me properly, this evening.”

“I don’t just mean in that sense,” Greylock said. “That kind of love is one of the easiest to express, for me at least. What’s harder is to take the mess of feelings I have for you and… organize them, so to speak.”

“So loving me doesn’t come naturally, then?”

“Oh, on the contrary, Cedric. Loving you is as natural as breathing. But my thoughts and feelings are a big jumbled mess inside me, and making it _make sense,_ making it palpable to you– that’s what’s difficult.” Greylock’s hand wandered over Cedric’s body, finding freckles and small scars to trace with gentle fingertips, like he was studying a map.

Cedric hummed. “I suppose I’ve never had that difficulty.” His lips brushed Greylock’s chest as he talked. He kissed the skin beneath his mouth.

“Really, being here with you helped a lot. I guess it’s a silver lining to what happened to me.”

Cedric looked up at Greylock. Greylock was smiling a little, looking at him like he was the most precious being in existence. 

Cedric didn’t know what to say, so he simply said: “I love you, Greylock.”

Greylock’s smile widened slightly. “I love you too, Cedric.” 

Greylock leaned forward and kissed Cedric on the mouth. Cedric had never felt so warm, so content, so light– and finally he knew why: he was in love. He was deeply and whole-heartedly in love with Greylock; and, best of all, Greylock loved him back just the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 19th century outfits are like ogres... they have layers....  
> Thanks to all the canon era Valvert fanfic I've read, I know how to deal with the 17 articles of clothings these fellas are wearing
> 
> TMI but Greylock is literally the same kind of top as me lmao... 
> 
> ANYWAY I'M FINALLY DONE!!!
> 
> when I tell you that I spent WAY too much time writing this... Like I've never just sat down and banged something out like this before. It kinda consumed me. I also watched the Cedlock scenes of Baileywhoops like 9101992 times and yeah...
> 
> That's not to say I didn't super enjoy writing this! And I will definitely be back with more Cedlock in the future. 
> 
> Thanks to everyone who was reading, leaving kudos, and commenting as I wrote this. Y'all showed me there is actual interest in this rarepair and motivated me to post instead of sitting on chapters for ages. THANK YOU for your love and support!  
> And if you're reading this In the future, thank you too! :)
> 
> If you wanna keep in touch, you can follow me/contact me on:  
> Instagram @ bacon_wrapped_rainbows  
> Youtube @ Bacon-Wrapped Rainbows  
> TikTok @ full_capassidy_  
> Discord @ them_fatale #7184
> 
> Okay bye!!! :*  
> -BWR


	13. Bonus Content

I bet you weren't expecting a chapter 13 on this! Yahaha!

So I was upset that this fic didn't quite hit 50k words, and also I made some fanart for this fic that I wanted to share with y'all... Two birds, one stone, ya feel me? 

I'm admittedly a better writer than artist, but here:

* * *

This is a moment from chapter 10 when Cedric walks in on Greylock playing the violin. 

This next one is a lot more steamy lol... It's from chapter 11.

Now I really feel bad for Winifred. She just wanted to check on her son and BAM, now she can never look at him the same way.

* * *

I would like to announce that there will be a new Cedlock fic from me! And it will be soon ish? A big school thing ended last weekend so I am a lot less busy. So yeah there's that! I feel like the premise is slightly, um, uninspired? Like literally the laziest thing I could have done? Hopefully it's not disappointing. 

Here's a _snique pique:_

> It was late that night when Greylock was finally back in his workshop, but he was not in the least bit tired. In fact, he had never felt so invigorated. With his wand drawn for light, he burst through the door and let out a mirthful laugh that he’d been holding in since the moment he’d left the ballroom. He leaned against his closed door, giggling like a child. 
> 
> He was  _ so in love.  _ The time he’d spent with Cedric left him feeling full of a youthful giddiness, a joy so pervasive that it could not be kept inside. He heard a familiar meow as his cat Freya approached him. 
> 
> “Oh, Freya,” Greylock said, laughter still bubbling in his voice. He knelt down to pet her, stroking her soft white fur. “I had the most magical night; the most amazing, wonderful, spectacular night. I think… I think that Cedric might like me back!” He laughed again, scooping Freya into his arms and holding her tightly to his chest. He stood up, bringing his cat with him as he walked aimlessly around the room. “Oh, goodness, Freya, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to spend an evening like this with him… It’s finally happened, and it’s surreal!” 
> 
> Greylock sighed. Thoughts swirled in his mind in a denser fog than usual, and every single thought was in some way tied to Cedric, and how he’d much rather be with Cedric right now…
> 
> But he had to give it time. Cedric obviously wanted to take this slowly, and he was more than willing to respect that because, finally, at long last, he knew he was going  _ somewhere _ . 
> 
> There was only one remedy that Greylock knew of for thoughts as scattered as his own. He put Freya down and walked to his desk. He lit a candle with his wand and sat down, then pulled an old leather bound book out of a drawer. Finally, he got out his inkwell and pen as well, and opened the book to the first blank page. 
> 
> He dipped the pen in ink and began to scribble down thoughts.

Yeah I think I might be at 50k words now? Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the ~*bonus content*~! 

Buh Bye!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Bricks and Stones](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29297586) by [Jathis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis)
  * [Lessons](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29377830) by [Jathis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis)




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